


Broken Traditions

by SonicCeleste



Series: The Life of the Moon Guardian [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Childhood, Family Issues, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Neglect, Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:13:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26579644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicCeleste/pseuds/SonicCeleste
Summary: The heiress to the Katri tribe takes her isolated younger brother to Gridania for the first time in the hopes of changing his fate.
Series: The Life of the Moon Guardian [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1902067
Comments: 7
Kudos: 14





	1. An Idea

**Author's Note:**

> No’a’s sister Qhita was essentially the one who raised him to be a “normal” person - this is the first step in that process.

At thirteen summers old, Qhita Katri already knew she was many things. Mother considered her a hunting prodigy, clever beyond her years and an ideal heiress to the Katri tribe. Fahrah and Izoh, the other two girls around her age, thought her daring and fun whenever they went to hunt together, while their mothers called her rough and stubborn behind her back.

But what no-one seemed to notice was that Qhita’s keen eye extended beyond just hunting, which was how she came to be in her current dilemma as she was packing her bag for a night of errands.

The young girl knew of the difference between the men and women of the Katri tribe, as her mother had taught her as much from an early age. Each and every woman born under Menphina’s blessed moon had the potential to be the matriarch of her own tribe, and so all women were raised to reach their full potential. So long as they contributed to the tribe until they turned eighteen, they were allowed and encouraged to do whatever they liked and follow whichever path suited them, be it a life of hunting, crafting or even adventuring. All the women in the tribe were happy and content with their lot in life, Qhita included.

In contrast, the Katri tribe saw men as lesser to women - the Dalamud to Menphina, existing only to serve and sire. As such, all boys were taught their basic Eorzean letters, how to hunt and survive in the wild - and nothing else. As soon as a Katri male came of age they were to leave home, surviving on their own until it was time for their trading every moon. They were forbidden from interacting with anyone outside the tribe, lest they forget their duties, and what interaction they  _ did _ have with the women in the tribe was subservient. They existed solely to fulfil the tribe’s needs without question, and that was that. From what few brief encounters Qhita had with Katri men, and one boy who had left before she turned ten, they seemed… empty. Quiet and resigned, walking around as if they were automatons rather than their own people.

Mother said it was how a man should behave… but it unsettled Qhita.

The Miqo’te girl finished her packing and moved to grab her hand mirror and makeup on the crate by her bed. She frowned as she tried to make her scruffy hair somewhat presentable for her errands, but quickly gave up - inheriting her mother’s hair and eyes also meant inheriting the losing fight of frizziness. Dipping her finger into the small makeup pot instead, she carefully applied pink streaks along her cheeks as well as dots under her eyes in a method she’d been practicing since she could hold a mirror. She took a deep sniff of the fresh, fruity scent coming from the makeup and smiled to herself - if there was one Katri tradition she loved, it was growing rolanberries under the blessed moonlight of Menphina for the tribe’s makeup. It always smelt so nice, and any leftover rolanberries were baked into the most delicious tarts...

… Though, she suddenly realised, only the women and girls were allowed to eat them.

Qhita’s smile quickly dropped, her thoughts returning to her conflicting feelings. She knew full well of the difference in treatment between men and women, yes, and she knew this had been the way of things for generations, but for the life of her she couldn’t understand… why. Despite their asocial behaviour, the catches from the rare male Keeper she saw trading were just as plentiful as the women’s, so why couldn’t they try their hand at other skills? If a Keeper boy was so uncommon to where three sons was considered rare, why were they treated so poorly, instead of coveted for their rareness like how Seekers were considered lucky to have different-coloured eyes? Did they just… deserve it? Was it Menphina’s will that the men born under Her moon were to be treated as nothing but tools and fathers? The Lover, kind and benevolent as she was, couldn’t possibly want that… could she? Maybe Qhita was just being naive, but it just didn’t feel right to her, no matter how she tried to justify it.

No matter how Mother tried to justify her neglect.

“Qhita!”

The young girl rose from her contemplating and stood to attention as her mother entered her tent, adjusting the bun her dark blue hair was in. Sharp, stern magenta eyes inspected the interior before softening in satisfaction and smiling warmly at the young girl. “Everything in order? Still got the gil I gave you?”

Qhita nodded, pulling out the coin purse from her bag to show her before buttoning it back up and slinging the bag over her shoulder. “All set, Mother. Thank you for lettin’ me do more important errands in the city - I won’t let ya down!”

Mother nodded and patted Qhita’s messy hair affectionately before sighing. “I know  _ you _ won’t, darling… but if you happen to come across your brother on your way, tell him he needs to get  _ twice  _ as many catches than he did last night. Two rabbits and a young boar is  _ hardly _ the standard to expect from the matriarch’s son…”

“Yes, Mother,” Qhita replied with a practiced neutral expression before she started walking out of her tent. “I’ll see about gettin’ some catches in before sunrise, too!”

“That’s my girl! Makin’ me proud.”

Qhita smiled and waved behind her, jogging out into the forest with her bag bouncing on her shoulder before settling into a quiet walk down the path towards Gridania. It was still early in the night, meaning the lamps along the path were still lit, casting a warm orange glow against the nearby foliage as if to imitate the tones of autumn. Thankfully, the warm breeze that blew through made it clear that summer was still around. Qhita hated the cold - bundling up to stay warm meant she was too bulky to move quickly, and thus hunting got more difficult. The tribe always seemed to suffer more in winter too… Maybe she would save up her own gil so they could afford more food this year…

Approaching a clearing with a broken lamp she stopped, letting out a low whistle. Her ear flicked to the left - there was a rustle of leaves, followed by a high-pitched whistle in reply. She glanced over at a nearby bush and startled.

“Vhano’a!! Shit, do you have to  _ stare  _ like that?!”

Two large, glowing amber eyes in the bush seemed to be apologetic, and they disappeared into the foliage before a small, crystal blue-haired Miqo’te boy popped out, large hunting knife in one hand and a dead rabbit in the other. Qhita huffed fondly, walking over to help him out of the bush and brush away the leaves in his hair. She gently took the rabbit and inspected it closely. “Hm… Not bad, Vhano’a. You’re gettin’ better at hitting the right spots to keep the meat safe. This’ll fetch a good few gil at the market.”

The boy’s oversized ears flicked in delight as he grinned. “Menphi helped,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper but still excited all the same. “Forgot all ‘bout the trap ‘til she lit it up!”

_ So Menphina used a moonbeam to guide him… _ It was good to know  _ someone _ was watching over him during his hunts. Qhita still wasn’t sure what to make of her brother nicknaming their goddess, but she brushed it off, instead smiling back at him. “Did you thank her properly?”

“Mmhm!”

“That’s good.” She pulled out a small length of rope from her bag and gave it to Vhano’a, who used it to tie up the rabbit with ease. “How many d’ya have so far?”

“Mm…” His tiny tail swished from side to side as he thought, looking back at the bush. “... Five.”

“Wow! That’s loads more than yesterday!” Qhita ruffled his hair and he giggled, newly-growing fangs poking through his smile. “Good thing too, since Mother said ya needed to catch six things today.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Qhita knew she shouldn’t have said them.

“Oh… mmkay.”

Vhano’a’s ears and smile fell in sadness and Qhita instantly felt guilty. He was so proud of himself the day before when he carried the boar he caught back home, only to get scolded into silence by their mother because ‘three catches in a single night is unacceptable’ - a boy of eight summers, bringing home a boar, was considered an unacceptable hunter! He probably thought he was going above and beyond expectations with five rabbits this time… yet that still wasn’t enough. Qhita remembered tagging along for hunts at his age and catching a few animals with the help of their mother, who had been overjoyed with her progress; meanwhile Vhano’a was left to fend for himself against the many dangerous creatures of the Shroud each night, and expected to bring home his (admittedly small) weight in carcasses as well…

Her thoughts went back to earlier, when she was thinking about how Keeper males were treated. How her brother - and the son of the matriarch no less - was treated so much worse just because he was a boy instead of a girl. 

_ … No, that’s not right no matter how you twist it,  _ Qhita finally decided.  _ Vhano’a deserves the same treatment I get! All the boys do! _

“Um…”

Vhano’a’s small voice startled her again, and she looked down.

“Did I, um… do somethin’ wrong?” He asked quietly, staring at the ground as he fiddled with his hunting knife.

Qhita tilted her head to the side in confusion. “No…? I was just thinkin’ about something.”

“Mmkay,” was his mumbled response, though he didn’t sound entirely convinced. “You just looked mad, so… I’ll… I’ll catch the other rabbit before sunrise, promise.”

Qhita watched him shrink into himself and felt terribly guilty again. She was the only one in the tribe Vhano’a felt comfortable enough to speak his mind to, the only one who ever got to see his smile and happiness, yet still his first thought when she was silent was that he had done something wrong…

She looked at the boy, who had busied himself with pulling out the rest of his rabbits from the bush he had hid in with quiet resignation. The changes were starting already - he was starting to turn into one of  _ them. _ Into a typical Katri male.

Seeing the end result was one thing, but actually watching it happen before her eyes…

She realised she’d never see her brother happy again at this rate.

_ … I can’t let that happen,  _ Qhita decided, her hand closing into a fist in silent promise as a fierce wave of protectiveness washed over her.  _ He won’t end up like the others - not if I have anything to say about it! _

But… what could she even  _ do  _ about it? She may be his older sister, but she was still only thirteen - even as the matriarch’s daughter she wouldn’t be able to make any meaningful change until she took over as the head of the tribe, and that would be  _ far  _ too late for Vhano’a. Besides that, there wasn’t much  _ to _ stop when Mother didn’t do anything with him in the first place. Ever since she finished his basic education, he was left to his own devices each night; all he ever did was hunt and get scolded for not meeting Mother’s expectations. What could she do with that?

_ … How does someone even start with turning a neglected, sheltered child into a normal person? _

Qhita looked up at Menphina through the trees, wordlessly asking for Her guidance, and frowned - she was falling behind schedule if Her position was any indication. She couldn’t really hang around too long, what with her errands in Gridania…

_ …Oh! That’s it! _

“Hey, Vhano’a.” She knelt down in front of the boy and grinned. “How’s about we make a deal?”

Vhano’a tilted his head to one side, puzzled.

“If you promise to catch at least one more rabbit tonight,” she continued, “you can come with me to Gridania.”

Amber eyes went wide with curiosity, only for the boy to stifle the action as he looked to the ground with a frown. “Um… Mum says I ain’t allowed there, though.”

“She doesn’t have to know - it’ll be our secret. I really think you’ll like it!” Qhita stood up and put a hand on her hip with a grin. “So? Whaddya say?”

Vhano’a hesitated, ears folding down nervously.

_ Time to pull out the ace. _

“I’ll get some sweets if you come with~”

It worked like a charm - instantly the boy’s eyes lit up and his ears wiggled as he grinned. Qhita grinned back and inwardly celebrated her success; his fondness for sweet things was such an easy bargaining chip. Together they tied up the remaining rabbits he’d caught and stored them in his bag (Qhita knew how fussy Gridanians could get over seeing dead animals around the city state) and headed north.

Vhano’a listened intently to his sister as she told him what she knew of the do’s and don’ts in Gridania - don’t hunt, don’t climb trees, don’t hide in the bushes, it’s ok to speak to someone if they say hello but don’t let your guard down, and run away to find someone in a bright yellow uniform ( _ what’s a uniform? _ he thought) if you feel like you’re in danger…

“... and for goodness’ sake don’t pull your knife or bow out on anyone,” Qhita finished. “I know Mother told ya to avoid people, and it’s different in the Shroud, but you’ll be in deep,  _ deep _ trouble if you hurt anyone in Gridania. Okay?”

“Mmkay.” Vhano’a glanced down at the path and frowned, obviously bothered by the restrictions. “So… if you can’t hunt, what  _ can  _ ya do there?”

Qhita smiled brightly, glad he was getting more curious about the city. “Well, Gridania’s visited by people from all across Eorzea, so there’s all sorts of things to do. You’ve got the markets to buy and sell bits and pieces, which is where we’ll be going, but there’s also guilds for adults to train in different jobs, like conjury or carpentry, and then there’s places like the inn and the amphitheatre, where people get together to… do things?” She shrugged. “Mostly I’ve just seen folks drink and joke around loudly.”

“Loud’s bad…” No’a mumbled, suddenly looking a lot less optimistic. Qhita hummed as she thought.

“When we’re huntin’, yeah, it’s bad,” she clarified, “but in the city-state there’s none of that, so folks are free to be as loud as they like!”

“Mmkay…  _ Why _ be loud, though? Mum says that just gets you noticed.”

Goddess, he asked a lot of questions - but Qhita wasn’t going to stifle his curiosity. “Some people like to be noticed, Vhano’a. There’s even people like performers who depend on being noticed to make a living. It ain’t for everyone, but… ah! We’re here.”

The two came to a stop outside Gridania’s gates and Qhita looked at her brother with a smile. “Ready?”

Vhano’a stared up at the large wooden gates and fidgeted, scuffing his boots against the ground before grabbing her arm and nodding silently. Qhita playfully messed with his hair and walked through, determined to make this first visit the best he’d ever have.


	2. A Meeting

Gridania was a nice place, all things considered - though she’d never really interacted with the people much, there was a balance of nature and civilisation that gave Qhita a warm, welcome feeling. The bubbling of the rivers going through the city-state was often the only sound she’d hear this late at night… but today was more crowded. Lots of people, even ones that smelt like the burning sand of Ul’dah and the salty sea of Limsa Lominsa, were all sitting in the Amphitheatre and chatting amongst themselves in hushed tones while a scruffily-dressed Elezen ran around the stage, putting odd painted backdrops this way and that. Qhita felt Vhano’a tighten his grip on her arm - he’d never seen so many people all in one place before.

“What’s goin’ on there?” Vhano’a asked quietly, hiding behind his sister as one Lalafell on the back row turned and glanced in their direction, no doubt concerned about two children wandering the city so late.

Qhita didn’t give the man a second thought and continued their walk past the crowd as she spoke. “That was the amphitheatre - remember, I mentioned it? Think a play must be happenin’ soon.”

“A play? Are they all going to play together?”

Qhita laughed a little at his innocent question. “Nah, this is different. Those people are watchin’ folks called actors play pretend, basically. Up on that thing, called a stage.” She stopped and turned quickly to point at the wooden stage in front of the audience, where a few actors were already starting to take their starting positions. “There’ll be colourful clothes, lots of music. People love watchin’ that kinda stuff.”

“Ooh…” The boy nodded, then frowned a few moments later. “Music?”

Ah, right. “Music…” Qhita hummed - she didn’t expect such a tricky question this early. “It’s like… birdsong, but people make it. See those things? They’re called instruments - people use those to make music,” she said, pointing to the small group next to the stage carrying violins, harps, flutes and various other instruments to the side of the stage. Vhano’a made a small noise of recognition, but he didn’t make any effort to start walking again or even go back to hiding behind his sister, instead staring up at the stage.

“What are you thinking?” Qhita asked.

“... Birdsong’s nice,” the boy admitted shyly, so quietly that only Qhita could hear. “Sometimes I wake up a bit early to get some water, and I hear the daytime birds. I like it. Don’t tell Mum.”

“Course not.” The girl smiled and messed his hair playfully before she started to walk again. “We can’t stay for long, come on.”

Vhano’a hurried on over to her side, holding her hand as he looked back at the crowd of people starting to applaud.

“Why do people make their own birdsong? Or watch the… the plays?” He asked as they walked through some large wooden doors.

Those were some big, tricky questions already… But damn if she wasn’t going to try and answer them. Qhita hummed. “Hm… I guess it depends-“

“Ah-choo! … Sorry…  _ Ah-choo _ !”

As soon as they walked into the bright light of the wooden building - the marketplace - the conversation came to a screeching halt as Vhano’a was suddenly sneezing like a kitten non-stop. Qhita, being the ever responsible older sister, burst out laughing watching her brother’s plight. In all his life he’d never actually been out of the dark before, yes, so it was only natural for him to have a reaction to the sudden change… But to think that would lead to  _ this _ display…!

“Ah… Ah…  _ Choo _ ! Hmmph… Qhita, help…!” Vhano’a whined, pouting in a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment as he tried desperately to hold in his sneezing. Qhita noticed his growing distress and thankfully managed to calm herself down enough to lead him back outside, telling him to stay put by some bushes before running into the market and to the tailor’s stall with the nice Elezen woman who always gave her a discount. Using the gil that Mother let her keep for herself, she bought the cheapest thing she saw that could shield Vhano’a’s eyes - a large, impossibly wide-brimmed, brown hempen hat. With a shout of thanks she rushed back outside, where her brother remained perfectly still just as she’d left him.

_ He does always follow instructions to the letter… _ Qhita thought as she walked over.  _ I wonder if there’s a way to stop that? _

“Here ya go!” she exclaimed cheerfully, unceremoniously dropping the large hat onto the boy’s head with a mischievous grin. “That’ll help get the light outta your eyes. It suits you!”

Vhano’a made a squeak of surprise at his vision suddenly being obscured before reaching up and fixing the accessory. “Suits me?” he asked as he worked to wiggle his ears through the holes.

“Yup! Because it’s way too big for ya, like everythin’ else ya wear,” Qhita replied with a playful grin, to which Vhano’a pouted again, self-consciously fidgeting with the hem of his hand-me-down tunic hanging by his knees. The girl knelt down and poked his puffed-out cheek. “Oi, don’t be like that, grumpy. You’re still a kid - give it some time and you’ll grow up tall just like everyone else. Now are ya gonna stand there and sulk or are ya gonna come help with the shopping?”

Still sulking, Vhano’a followed his sister into the market, holding her arm again while owlish amber eyes looked around new, strange surroundings.

Their first stop was the weaponsmith’s stall. At least, that’s what it said on the sign - Vhano’a wasn’t quite sure what a weaponsmith was. Something to do with bows and knives, surely, but what was a smith?

“What’s a smith?” He asked Qhita, who looked at him puzzledly.

“Uh… Oh, you mean the weaponsmith? They make ‘n’ sell weapons,” she clarified quickly before the smith in question greeted her, taking her attention away from him. Peeking out from behind Qhita, the boy saw a variety of weapons on display. Some of them were familiar - the hunting knives and bows he used every night - but most were unlike any he’d seen his tribe use before. What particularly caught his attention was a decorated wooden stick twice his height, and a square made of metal and wood alongside an extremely large knife. What on earth could they be used for? They looked too bulky to carry around for hunting…

Qhita noticed his confused squinting out of the corner of her eye and smiled to herself triumphantly - Vhano’a was quickly getting more and more curious about things outside the tribe, and less scared. The plan was working.

“That’s a conjurer’s staff, the big pointy thing’s a sword, and next to it is a shield,” she told him as she paid for some new bowstrings and arrowheads at the stall.

“Are they used for huntin’?” Vhano’a asked, curiously approaching the weapons and poking the stick- no, the  _ staff, _ only to hurry and catch it as it fell over _. _ Qhita shook her head and sighed, propping the staff back upright and apologising to the understanding smith before taking her brother’s hand and walking away before he could hurt himself with any more curious poking.

“Staves are for magic stuff, like healin’, while swords ‘n’ shields are for fightin’ bad guys face-to-face,” she explained as they walked. “Not like how we fight poachers in the Shroud, shooting ‘em from behind.”

Vhano’a nodded slowly, understanding somewhat. “So the… sword, isn’t a big knife for big people?”

Qhita guffawed at that. “How big do you think people  _ are _ outside the Shroud?” She said between fits of laughter.

The boy scuffed his boot against the ground as his cheeks turned pink. “I dunno…”

Qhita did feel a little bad for laughing at him, looking at his embarrassed face. He only knew what was in the Shroud - for all he knew there  _ were  _ exceptionally large people in Eorzea to whom the sword was just a hunting knife. He’d never seen a sword before after all - most everyone in the Shroud fought with spears and bows. It was a logical, if childlike, deduction to make.

…  _ Still bloody hilarious, though, _ she thought, grinning to herself.

“Not everyone’s a hunter like us, Vhano’a. People use weapons for all sortsa reasons - couldn’t tell ya all of ‘em, though.” Qhita made her way to the other end of the market with her brother in tow, towards a stall with a delicious sweet smell. The pair stopped in front of the small corner stall run by a single Duskwight Elezen with tied-up red hair, who was busy pouring batter into a muffin tin. No’a still hid behind his sister, but Qhita noted with a smirk how his little tail was swishing side to side with involuntary excitement - he recognised the smell.

“Evenin’, Ashfort,” Qhita greeted cheerily, and the tall man turned around to smile warmly at her.

“Good evening! I haven’t seen you around for a while, Qhita - oh!” Ashfort looked at Vhano’a, who ducked his head down. “And you have a friend! Who’s under the large hat?”

Qhita grinned and stepped to the side suddenly, leaving her brother frozen in place out in the open. Vhano’a glanced over at her, then at the Elezen, then tugged his hat down and looked back to her, wordlessly asking for both permission and reassurance.

“It’s okay, you can speak here,” she said gently, knowing that the strict rule of no interaction with the outside world was still firmly planted in his mind. Still nervous but nodding nonetheless, Vhano’a slowly looked up at Ashfort, who did his best to give the boy a calm, reassuring smile.

“... Vhano’a,” he mumbled, raising his hand slightly in greeting. “Hi.”

“Vhano’a… Oh, so you’re Vhano’s son?” Ashfort asked casually.

_ Uh oh. _

Vhano’a visibly startled, panic in his eyes and his ears shooting straight up as he took a step back. “Y-you know Mum?! I… I-I’m so sorry, p-please don’t-“

“Don’t you worry. Your secret’s safe with me, child,” the Elezen reassured him, looking over at Qhita and giving her a wink. The girl let out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding - how could she have forgotten that Mother frequented the same markets on her own? Hells, she was the one who took Qhita to the bakery stall in the first place! She’d have to be more careful to not let Vhano’a be spotted… at least that huge hat served two purposes now.

“Qhita’s told me about you before, actually,” Ashfort continued talking to Vhano’a, “and about how you adore my sweets. It makes me happy knowing there’s someone who enjoys them so much - usually I don’t get many patrons, but your family are frequent visitors.”

At the mention of sweets Vhano’a’s eyes lit up in surprise and he took a few cautious steps forward towards the counter, eyeing the numerous bags and boxes piled up for sale. “ _ You _ make those?”

Ashfort grinned widely, turning back briefly to put the muffin tray into the oven. “Indeed! It was a long, long journey to get approval for my bakery stall in the market, but knowing that my creations bring a smile to you and your sister’s faces makes it all worthwhile.”

Despite the sentimental speech Vhano’a didn’t seem to be listening fully, instead bringing a hand to his chin in thought. “Men can make sweets…?”

Ashfort peered at Vhano’a in confusion, then realised with a small sound and chuckled. “That’s right! I’ve been making them since I was a child.”

“But… What about huntin’?” The boy asked. “Isn’t it tirin’ doing both?”

Before Ashfort could respond Qhita stepped forward, putting a hand on her brother’s shoulder. “What did I tell ya a minute ago, Vhano’a? That not everyone…?”

“... is a hunter?”

Qhita nodded. “Ashfort is just a baker - someone who makes baked food like bread and cakes and biscuits. He doesn’t have to hunt.”

“Oh… Mmkay.” Vhano’a’s surprise seemed to grow by the minute. He turned to look up at the Elezen in awe. “I’m… not allowed to make sweets, or um, even eat them really,” he admitted quietly, “but… but your sweets are good! Really good! They’re my favourite thing next to huntin’!”

“Why thank you! That’s such a lovely thing to say, Vhano’a.” Ashfort smiled widely, a joyful shine in his crinkled eyes that Qhita had never seen before in all her visits. Being a Duskwight in Gridania was hard, she knew from what she’d overheard all over the city-state… Was her and her brother’s love for his food really that important to him?

She cleared her throat and stepped towards the stall. “I promised some sweets for Vhano’a if ‘e came with me to Gridania - any recommendations, Ashfort?”

Ashfort hummed, rubbing at the scruff on his chin in thought.

Qhita noticed his arm was bandaged.

A few moments later Ashfort seemed to come to a decision, turning around and plucking a small bag tied up with string from the myriad goods. “How about old reliable? These ginger cookies should still be nice and soft~”

Vhano’a gasped and turned to Qhita, his oversized ears wiggling happily as he grinned. Qhita grinned back and nodded, pulling out her coinpurse.

Ashfort waved his free hand. “Oh, don’t worry about-“

“Vhano’a, do you want to pay for them?” Qhita asked. The boy tilted his head to the side in confusion, his ear twitching.

“But… I’m not allowed to keep money like you,” he whispered, as if to keep it secret.

“Well then, ask Ashfort how much it is and I’ll give you the gil,” she explained with a bright smile, ignoring the suspicious glance Ashfort was giving her. Vhano’a nodded and turned to the Elezen, his little tail swishing excitedly.

“How much are the cookies?” He asked.

Ashfort faltered for a second, but not enough for the boy to notice. “Well, usually they’re a hundred gil-“

“A hundred gil,” Vhano’a told Qhita, unknowingly interrupting Ashfort yet again, before holding his hands out as his sister gave him a few coins. He turned back to Ashfort and quietly placed the coins one by one on the counter, mumbling the numbers under his breath until he was sure they came out to a hundred, then pushed them towards the Elezen with an innocent smile.

“I… Well, thank you!” Ashfort said, smiling back at the boy and taking the coins hesitantly before handing him the bag of cookies. Vhano’a giggled and went to put them in his bag, but stopped and instead turned to his sister.

“S’better if you take ‘em,” he said, giving Qhita the cookies. “I don’t wanna get rabbit blood on ‘em.”

“Rabbit? So that’s what the smell is…” Ashfort mumbled to himself, scratching the scruff on his chin again before shaking his head and turning to the boy. “Vhano’a, thank you very much for buying my ginger cookies. If you ever come to Gridania again, you’re always welcome to drop by for some more sweets!”

Vhano’a grinned up at him, his shyness all but disappeared now. “Thanks Mister, um… Asher… Ashfore…”

“Ashfort.”

“... Mister Ash!” Vhano’a said with finality.

Qhita giggled to herself, grinning from ear to ear at the scene. It gave her a warmth in her heart and a sense of pride, seeing her brother act like a normal child. Smiling and laughing and even acting a little mischievous -  _ this  _ was the true Vhano’a, not the quiet tool in the making that Mother wanted him to be.

As if the thought of their mother crossed both their minds at the same time, Vhano’a lowered his voice and tugged his hat down, leaning over the counter to whisper to the Duskwight Elezen. “Um… you won’t tell Mum I was here, will ya?”

“Of course not, I promise,” Ashfort reassured him again. “Though, if you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with your sister by herself for a minute.”

Qhita tensed.

Vhano’a looked at the both of them and tilted his head to the side, his ear flicking. “Is she in trouble?”

“No, nothing like that,” Ashfort clarified gently, and Qhita relaxed a little.

Vhano’a looked up at her, not entirely convinced - though more out of concern than suspicion, judging by his worried expression. “Ya sure?”

“Of course! Ashfort’s a big softie. You’re just worrying too much.” Qhita gave the boy a grin and poked his cheek, making him pout. “Go an’ wait outside like before, yeah? Don’t talk to strangers, don’t cause a scene.”

“I know.” With a nod Vhano’a walked away, messenger bag and floppy hat bouncing with each step until he was out of sight. Ashfort sighed and smiled, his gaze still lingering by the doors.

“You’re taking a big risk, you know,” he said plainly, “bringing him out to Gridania, with your tribe’s rules.”

“I know,” Qhita replied solemnly, tucking the cookies into her bag.

“What made you decide to do it, if you don’t mind my asking?” Ashfort questioned as he put the coins from earlier into a small metal box. Qhita hesitated, struggling to find the right words as she cautiously looked around - just in case someone was around to overhear. Luckily, Ashfort’s area of the market was almost always empty.

“You won’t tell?”

“Of course not.” Ashfort smirked at her. “I’m a ‘big softie’, after all.”

“Heh. Good, thanks.” Qhita fiddled with her bag strap as she figured out what to say. “I… I brought him with me because I want something different for Vhano’a. I don’t agree with what Mother says, ‘bout the men of our tribe. I think it’s unfair - they deserve the same stuff as everyone else, all of ‘em.”

“I see,” Ashfort commented, his voice neutral.

“Now I know better than to try an’ change  _ her _ mind ‘bout it…” Qhita continued with a sigh and a hand through her messy hair, “...  _ but _ I’m the heiress, which means that someday  _ I _ can change how it all works, and I plan on it. But by that time, it’ll be too late for Vhano’a, and… I don’t want him to end up like Dad, or any of the other guys. So I’m just makin’ some of my changes early.”

“Is that so?” Ashfort hummed. “And you think you can do that? Break tradition and change his fate?”

Qhita turned to look Ashfort in the eye, a fierce determination on her young face. “Listen, I ain’t letting my little brother turn into another mindless slave in the name of the Katri tribe, no matter what. Got a problem with that?”

Ashfort stared back at her… then beamed, seemingly satisfied with her answer. “Not at all. In fact I’m rather pleased someone else is fighting the status quo around here. I’d be glad to help you and Vhano’a in any way I can - just say the word.”

Qhita nodded, both understanding and appreciative, before she got curious. “How do ya do it, Ashfort?” She asked. “I don’t mean to pry, but… it’s gotta be hard for you.”

“Hard as hells,” Ashfort agreed with a sigh, his voice going lower and less cheery than when Vhano’a was around. He put on some oven gloves and retrieved the muffin tray he placed in earlier - a wonderfully sweet smell wafted out with it. “Should’ve known you’d pick up on it. Indeed, every week it’s something new - accusations of poor quality goods, a Wood Wailer interrogating me about supposedly incorrect taxes… Other things best left untold to a thirteen year-old, no matter how clever beyond her years she may be.” He put the tray down and left the muffins to cool, preparing boxes for those muffins to go into in the meantime. “I suppose - just in my experience, mind you - the most important thing is having a rebellious spirit of sorts; a strong will. No matter how often they try to make you fall in line with what they think is right, you have to keep fighting; to prove them wrong, no matter how futile it may seem.”

Qhita hummed, noticing a gleam in the Elezen’s eyes that she’d never seen before… as well as a faded bruise by his eye, barely distinguishable against his dark grey skin and the shadows of his corner stall but obvious now that she looked. A bruise, combined with the bandages…

_ … He must’ve been attacked a few days ago, _ she realised, and immediately understood why he was suddenly pouring his heart out. She hid her hands behind her back to mask clenched fists.

“In order to have that kind of willpower, you need something to fight for, I think,” Ashfort continued, oblivious to the girl’s staring. “That’s why my mother taught me baking; beyond a different path to take than the banditry expected of us, baking has always been a comfort, even a lifeline for me. I could never give it up. When you have a goal, or something you love, it gives you the strength to keep getting up again.” He finally turned to look at Qhita, a warm, if tired smile on his face. “Ah, but I’m afraid I’ve rambled - I hope I didn’t confuse you?”

“Nah, I think I understand,” Qhita replied, smiling back. “Somethin’ to fight for… I getcha.” She nodded to herself before looking up at the Duskwight with a newfound appreciation. “You’re a good guy, Ashfort. I know I called you soft, but… You’re actually real strong an’ stuff. Me an’ Vhano’a both can learn a thing or two from ya.”

Ashfort blinked in surprise, then chuckled. “I’m flattered you think so,” he said with genuine joy in his eyes. “You’re a bright girl, Qhita, and your heart’s in the right place with what you’re doing for your brother.” He glanced towards the door, where the faint sound of music trickled through. “Speaking of, you should probably go to him - I hope I’ll get to see the both of you again soon?”

“Oh you will, I promise!” Qhita replied with a wide grin, waving to him with a new spring in her step as she walked away, out of the market to meet up with her brother and show him the rest of the city-state before taking him back to the Shroud.

Only… he wasn’t there.

That was different, and not in a good way. Qhita looked for any sign of him - a flash of crystal blue hair, amber eyes, even that enormous hat - but even with her keen eyesight, nothing stood out to her. There wasn’t even a hint as to where he could have gone.

So, Vhano’a was officially missing and they hadn’t even been in the city-state for a bell.

_ Shit. _


	3. A Resolution

Qhita felt her mouth go dry as she looked out at Gridania, which suddenly felt a lot bigger than before. She had to find Vhano’a as soon as possible. It was dangerous for him to be alone when he didn’t know the city yet! He could be found by someone bad, or a Wood Wailer who’d ask after his parents, or… Oh hells, if  _ Mother decided to visit the city…! _

_ No! Don’t panic, dumbass!  _ She told herself, patting her cheeks sharply and taking a deep breath.  _ Let’s think. He's definitely not kidnapped - he didn’t talk to Ashfort ‘til my say-so, so he wouldn’t trust any strangers by himself. If anyone tried anything, I think we’d have someone on the floor with a knee-high stab wound… _

Qhita giggled a little at the imagined scene before focusing again.

_ What else…? Vhano’a follows instructions well! Even if he’s wandered off, he knows I’ll be expecting him outside the market, so he wouldn’t have gone far. So he has to be around here somewhere, but… Where? _

A sudden eruption of applause sounded from the amphitheatre, making Qhita jump and glare. “Do they have to be so bloody loud…?” She muttered with an irritated flick of her tail, before something clicked in her mind.

_ Loud. He thinks loud noises are bad! Whenever there’s a loud noise in the Shroud, we were taught to… to… _

_ … Oh for the love of… _

Qhita looked up at the moon and let out a long, annoyed sigh. “He’s hiding somewhere, isn’t he?”

She didn’t wait for Menphina to bless her with an answer - knowing her brother, he probably followed a moonbeam somewhere, making it technically Her fault. Rather than calling his name - something sure to get the attention of others - she whistled the same low whistle that she called Vhano’a with earlier in the Shroud and waited for the boy’s response. The music from the amphitheatre nearby was too loud to hear anything properly, however, ultimately making it a fruitless endeavour. Qhita’s tail flicked about agitatedly and she groaned, running a hand through her messy hair.

“Seven hells, where could he be?” Qhita grumbled to herself, stomping down the path while her ears flicked rapidly, listening for any sign of her brother. Unfortunately, hiding was one of Vhano’a’s ‘best’ qualities - he could very nearly disappear if he wanted, small and silent as he often was. Useful for hunting - not so useful when losing him in a city-state!

“Oh! And who is this little one I see spying on me from above?” A melodic voice from the amphitheatre echoed in the quiet of the night.

A distant, but panicked whistle sounded, known to the Katri tribe as the call for  _ help. _

_ Shit. Shit shit shit. _

Qhita sprinted towards the amphitheatre, all ready to grab Vhano’a and  _ run _ like voidsent were at their heels. What on earth was he doing  _ there? _ What had she been  _ thinking, _ letting him out of her sight in the first place? This had been going  _ so well, _ his interest in the outside world growing but now he’d gotten into trouble and-

Qhita came to a stop outside the gate to the amphitheatre and felt the colour drain from her face.

Vhano’a was sitting frozen on the rafters above the amphitheatre stage, where a blonde Miqo’te woman in a colourful princess costume was looking up at him with her hands on her hips. The audience and even the small band off to the side of the stage were silent, all watching the scenario. The poor boy’s young stub of a tail had fluffed up to double its size, and though his hat thankfully still shaded his face from view Qhita just knew his eyes were wide in fear.

Qhita couldn’t get herself to move, no matter how much she tried. What was she supposed to  _ do? _ She hadn’t expected something like this to happen! How was she supposed to quietly fetch him down and away from the city when all these eyes were on him? And she’d  _ told _ him not to climb, too…

_ … At least it’s another rule broken, _ she reluctantly thought with a sigh.  _ Even if it’s the last one he’ll get to- _

“Ah, how foolish of me to not recognise you at first glance, my young forest friend!” the Miqo’te woman suddenly spoke, turning towards the audience. “I should never have doubted my love’s devotion… Even though this cursed forest of secrets yet keeps us apart, of course he would find a way to send me a message!” She looked back up at the boy and waved him down. “Come, come inside, you must be cold out there!”

Qhita blinked in surprise. After a few moments of hesitation, Vhano’a quietly slid from his hiding place and jumped down to the stage below, adjusting his hat before looking up at the woman, who smiled kindly at him.

“My young friend, it has been ever so long since I last heard from my darling Theo,” the actress continued, her long dress twirling as she moved about the stage with dramatic flair, a delicate hand on her heart. “Your being here surely means he is well, and for that I am relieved beyond measure. No doubt you have a message from him - a declaration of his love before he rides off on the grand hunt to slay the witch and win my hand in marriage?”

Vhano’a tilted his head in confusion, his oversized hat flopping to one side. Qhita felt the ice-cold fear fade, only for something else to take over - the heat of heavy embarrassment. Vhano’a didn’t have the slightest clue what a play even  _ was _ until half a bell ago, and now he was up on centre stage with an actress who clearly expected him to play along with the performance. The only time the boy ever played pretend was when he was pretending to slay poachers-!

“Your… Your darlin’ said…”

Qhita’s ears shot up in surprise. Was he…?

The actress mouthed something to him - Qhita picked up “louder” but not much else from the back of the theatre.

“Your darlin’ Theo told me… to tell you…” Vhano’a’s quiet voice slowly rose in volume as he looked up at the woman and put a hand over his heart to mimic her. “That he, um, loves you very much!” He near shouted, his young voice straining from eight years of whispering. “A-and that he’ll win the hunt for ya, and your hand! He promises, miss!”

Silence fell. Then…

_ “Awwww…!” _

The audience erupted in affectionate cooing. Vhano’a glanced over at them in confusion. He’d never heard such a noise before.

“Such a heartfelt message! Thank you ever so much, my brave young friend - here, a reward for your efforts journeying across this forest to find me.” The Miqo’te actress knelt down and quickly kissed the boy’s cheek, leaving a pretty pink lip mark that was barely visible under his heavy blush. Now relieved and certain nothing bad was going to happen, Qhita smirked and made a mental note to remember the moment - it was going to be a  _ perfect _ embarrassing memory when he was older.

“Now then, away with you,” she said, pointing to the path between the audience that led up to the gate, “before that dastardly witch finds you and locks you up, like she did to me!”

“Y-yes miss! Thank you miss!” Vhano’a nodded hastily, his messenger bag bumping at his hip as he hopped off the wooden stage and briskly made his exit, reaching to open the gate…

Then the audience started clapping, and he turned to look at them in curiosity, only to see them all looking back at him and  _ smiling at him _ as they applauded _. _

Qhita had never seen his ears and tail flick so happily in all his eight summers.

The two of them looked up at the stage, where the waving actress motioned a bow before gesturing to the boy. Vhano’a quickly caught on and clumsily copied her movements, bowing low before finally turning and walking out of the gate as the applause faded - bumping right into Qhita’s leg. He froze.

“Vhano’a,” Qhita said - firmly, but not stern. He certainly knew already that he’d broken the rules she set - she didn’t want to scare him further. “I’m not goin’ to get mad at you. Let’s go find somewhere to sit down, yeah?”

The boy wordlessly nodded, and the two of them walked down the path to a small area with a waterfall that looked deserted. The pair sat on one of the benches, the only sound being the rushing of water and the crumpling of the paper bag as Qhita took out the ginger cookies they had bought earlier and handed one to Vhano’a. Vhano’a took it but didn’t eat it right away, instead staring at it in his hands blankly.

“... I’m sorry I broke the rules,” he finally mumbled, voice just barely audible above the waterfall.

“That was the most stupid thing you’ve ever done, ya idiot,” Qhita said bluntly before biting the head off her own cookie, continuing to speak with her mouth full. “I told ya not to wander off, go climbing or make a scene, and you somehow did all three in one go.”

“I-I know… ’m sorry. Won’t do it again.”

“You already said that. Didn’t I say earlier that I ain’t mad at ya?” Qhita finished her mouthful, turned to look at the boy and grinned. “Honestly? I’m impressed!”

Vhano’a looked up at her, big tearful eyes full of surprise and confusion both. “Huh? Why?”

“‘Cause ya got away with it, clever bugger!” The girl punched her brother’s shoulder playfully.

Vhano’a stared at her, more confused than ever. “But… you just called me an idiot.”

“Well yeah, of course you  _ were _ an idiot, you still did somethin’ stupid,” Qhita clarified with a shrug, “but ya  _ know _ it was stupid, and everythin’ worked out okay, so there’s nothin’ to be mad about, see?”

Vhano’a hummed, neither confirming nor denying his understanding. Qhita ate more of her cookie. “How’d ya manage to get up there, anyroad?” She asked, changing the subject.

Realising he was in the clear, Vhano’a wiped away the tears in his eyes and kicked his feet idly, his gaze moving up to the moon hanging high above them with a smile. “Menphi showed me! I wanted to sit ‘n’ watch the play, but a big blue man said I ain’t allowed in without a… a, um…” He pouted as he tried to form the right word. “A ‘shap-er-ow’?”

“Chaperone,” Qhita corrected. “It means someone older who looks after you if ya go someplace.”

“Ohhhhhhh.” Vhano’a’s eyes widened in realisation. “So… You’d be my ‘chaperone’ right now?”

“Yup.”

“Ohhhhhhh.” The boy nodded to himself. “Mmkay. I didn’t know what that meant, and you said don’t talk to strangers so I ran away, but then Menphi showed me a secret path up t’ the top!”

“I see...” Qhita inwardly sighed - what was with this boy and following moonbeams? “Well, if the Goddess herself guided you, I definitely can’t be mad at ya. But… Why did you wanna see the play?”

Vhano’a fell silent, taking a moment to bite his ginger cookie. Sounds from the theatre still echoed, fighting to be heard over the waterfall, and the boy’s ears flicked in the direction of the theatre.

“... Music,” he finally said. “I really like the music.”

“Oh yeah?” Qhita said encouragingly. “What do ya like ‘bout it?”

“Hmmm…” Vhano’a took another bite of his cookie. “I dunno, just sounds pretty. Better than birdsong.”

“Really~?”

“Mmhm. It makes me feel happy.” He turned the cookie in his hands as he spoke. “I wanted to see how they made the music. An’ I wanted to see… Um…”

The boy trailed off, his face turning as pink as the lipstick mark still on his cheek. Qhita quickly caught on and grinned widely.

“You fancied the princess~” she sang, poking his side to make him squeak. Vhano’a pouted and shuffled away from her, ears flat against his hat as he took a sulky bite out of his cookie.

“I-I don’t!” He argued. “I just liked her singing and pretend-playing!”

“Actin’,” Qhita corrected, “but if that’s what ya want me to think, I’ll play along~” She finished off the last of her cookie and hopped off the bench, dusting off the crumbs on her hands before turning to her brother with a grin on her face and her hands on her hips. “Well, nothin’ for it then. Let’s go back an’ watch the rest of it!”

Vhano’a’s eyes widened, bright in the moonlight with joy. “Really?”

“Yeah! Come on, quickly!” Before Vhano’a could say anything more Qhita grabbed his free hand and started running, the boy doing his best to keep up while trying not to drop his cookie. It was only a short distance to run before they reached the gates of the amphitheatre, and with a nod to the Roegadyn standing guard by the gate the siblings quietly snuck their way to the back, climbing to sit on the sturdy wooden fence to see the stage above the heads of the audience. They hadn’t missed much, apparently - the Theo mentioned previously by the princess was midway through the grand hunt, declaring that his love would guide him true and defeat the evil witch holding his beloved captive.

_ Bunch of sappy rubbish, really, _ Qhita thought to herself, holding her chin in her palm with a frown.  _ Why can’t the princess just kill the witch ‘erself if she visits to gloat so often? Wouldn’t she be trained to handle assassination attempts? I was… Seven hells... _

“Whoa…”

Her gaze turned to her brother, who was staring at the stage in wide-eyed awe. It was much more amusing watching his reactions to the play than the actual play itself, and so she did.

He watched the musicians use their instruments and swayed from side to side in surprisingly good rhythm each time a new song played. He growled ( _ growled! Like an angry kitten, _ Qhita thought with a grin) at the witch as she lied to the princess about how Theo was slain by the great forest beast. He kicked the fence excitedly, tiny tail thwapping against the wood when at the climax of the witch’s song celebrating her perceived success, Theo leapt through the window to the princess’ tower and struck the witch down in a single slash of his sword.

And then the final song played, a sweet duet (sickeningly sweet, in Qhita’s opinion) between Theo and his beloved princess, and Vhano’a had the biggest smile on his face that Qhita had seen all night. He was positively beaming with delight at the happy ending, swaying to and fro in time with the song and clapping as loud as he could when the play finally came to an end.

_ This is it, _ Qhita realised as she clapped half-heartedly alongside him.  _ This can be his thing to fight for. Music, plays, performing… It’s everything Mother wouldn’t want him to do, but he loves it. We can work with this. _

“Quickly,” Qhita leaned over whispered in her brother’s ear. “We need to go now before everyone else sees us.”

“Oh… Mmkay.” Vhano’a frowned but did as he was told, hopping off the fence and holding her arm as the pair quietly walked away from the amphitheatre and out of Gridania. Just as Qhita was about to ask him how he found the trip, Vhano’a spoke up first.

“Did you… not like the play?” He asked quietly. “You looked bored…”

“Eh, I just don’t like lovey-dovey stuff,” she replied with a shrug. “You seemed to love it though.”

Vhano’a turned quiet, but his smile was clear even under his hat.

_ Oh, right. _ Qhita plucked the boy’s hat off his head, folding it and putting it in her bag for safekeeping - there was no reason for him to have it if he was in the dark all the time, but luckily Mother didn’t go through her things like she did to his.

“You don’t have to keep quiet around me, ya know,” she told him. “I know you liked it; I was hopin’ ya would.”

Vhano’a nodded.

“Maybe next time we go we’ll see another performance! How’s that sound?”

Vhano’a looked up at Qhita, tilting his head to the side. “Next time?” He said nervously. “But… I’m not…”

“Didn’t ya like it there?” Qhita interrupted him, kneeling in front of him to look at his face. “You had a nice time, right? Better than bein’ all alone in the forest all day?”

“Um… Well…”

“So? Would ya wanna come with me again? Our little secret?”

Vhano’a looked down, conflicted as he ate the last of his cookie that he’d been saving.

Qhita glanced up at the moon glowing gently on the pair and took a deep breath.  _ Please let him choose the right answer… Tonight didn’t go entirely right, but… he’s changed so much already. He can be different, I know he can. He just needs to have that willpower… and with that play, hopefully… _

“... Yeah, mmkay.”

Vhano’a looked up and nodded at his sister. “I, um… I really liked the sweets, an’ the music. The people are nice too… They smiled at me. So… I wanna visit again. If that’s okay.”

Qhita felt a wave of relief and joy wash over her heart, and she couldn’t stop herself from grinning. “Of course it’s okay, you plonker, I asked!” She poked his cheek and laughed, Vhano’a joining in with a quiet giggle.

The question answered and Qhita’s goal now set in stone, the pair walked down the path to the clearing they met at earlier. The girl watched Vhano’a trot along next to her with a new spring in his step, quietly asking question after question that she would try her best to answer. It had been just over a bell, so they still had plenty of time to catch up on their hunting before reporting back to their mother. Speaking of...

“Remember, this is our secret - not a word to Mother, yeah?” She reminded him.

“Mmhm.”

“Not a word about what?”

Vhano’a froze in place, his tail fluffing up and his ears shooting straight up. Qhita, taking a deep, calming breath, turned around to look behind her and smiled. “Mother! I finished the shopping.”

Vhano walked up to them, magenta eyes glowing in the dark. “Answer my question, Qhita. What did the boy do this time?”

Qhita pursed her lips together, glancing at Vhano’a. His gaze fell to the floor, scuffing his boot on the ground.

_ Why does it have to be his fault? _

She sighed, racking her brain for a response. “Well…”

“Rabbit trap broke.”

Qhita looked at Vhano’a, eyes wide in surprise. Vhano turned her attention to her son and glared. “I didn’t say you could speak, _boy_. The women are talking.”

Vhano’a fell silent again, but not without a quick glance at his sister. Qhita nodded.

“It’s true, though,” she said with a shrug, picking up what the boy started. “Apparently poachers got to ‘is trap before he could. You know what they’re like, Mother.”

“So does  _ he,” _ Vhano snapped, glaring at the boy. “What a bloody waste of a good trap…” Vhano sighed in irritation and stepped towards Vhano’a. “You. Twelve catches. Any less and you ain’t eatin’ tonight. Understand?”

A sound caught in Qhita’s throat. She cleared it to disguise her surprise.

_ That’s double what you asked of him earlier! He’s never even caught that many before! _ She desperately wanted to say. She wanted to question  _ why _ a single broken trap warranted a punishment almost certain to mean he’d go hungry, but she knew that questioning Mother meant questioning her beloved  _ tradition, _ and she couldn’t bring herself to do that - not when Vhano’a was already in trouble and liable to be Mother’s emotional outlet whenever she got angry.

So, instead, Qhita stood still, keeping a practiced straight face while keeping her clenched fists tight behind her back and watching the scene before her.

“... Yes, Mother,” Vhano’a mumbled, still not lifting his head. Vhano turned away and rolled her eyes.

“I don’t know why I bother with ‘im, never doin’ anything I ask right,” she muttered before looking at her daughter. “Don’t waste your time with the useless child, Qhita. Come on, let’s go sort out that shopping.”

“Ah, but…” Qhita quickly buried her hand in her bag. “I-I was just about to get some huntin’ done-“

“Don’t worry ‘bout that for now, darling,” Vhano said, waving her hand to coax her along and walking down the path. “You can go back out to do what you like once we string up the bows, alright?”

“A-alright!” Qhita replied, shifting to follow after her before glancing at Vhano’a, who had still yet to move or even look up - just standing still, emotionless, the moon casting a pale glow on him alone in the forest.

_ Well…  _ Qhita looked up at the moon.  _ Not really alone. _

She knelt in front of the boy, poking his cheek. “You lied,” she whispered. “To  _ Mother. _ That was even more idiotic than earlier.”

“... But I got away with it,” Vhano’a replied, looking up at her with a small, almost smug smile. Qhita grinned.

“That ya did. We’ll go again in a couple days, I promise,” she told him, slipping the remaining ginger cookies into his bag. “And I’ll meet ya later so I can help get ya to twelve - we can chat more about the play while we do it, yeah?”

Vhano’a looked at her, then at his bag, disbelieving - but Qhita kept smiling, and eventually he smiled back and nodded. “Mmkay.”

“Qhita?”

“Comin’, Mother!” Qhita messed her brother’s hair playfully, standing up to jog down the path. “See ya in a bit.”

_ Keep strong, Vhano’a. We’ve got a ways to go, but we’ll prove ‘er wrong. _


	4. A Very First Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Starlight season! Qhita shows her brother what happens during the holiday, and Vhano’a learns what a gift is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starlight ends on the 31st so it’s STILL IN SEASON DAMN IT

“Whoa…  _ ah-choo!” _

Qhita giggled and reached into her bag, pulling out Vhano’a’s hempen hat and dumping it on his head. “Don’t look up ‘til you’ve got ya hat on, moron.”

Vhano’a huffed, wiggling his ears through the hat holes before pointing at the bright lights strung around the Gridania aetheryte plaza. “But  _ look!! _ These weren’t ‘ere last time!” He said, looking at them in awe as his small tail swished side to side with delight, barely visible under his large hand-me-down winter coat.

Qhita grinned as she adjusted her scarf. It had been a few moons since their first visit to Gridania, and Vhano’a was already making a remarkable improvement in her eyes. While he was still quiet and “obedient” around their mother, it was as if he became a completely different child the moment they walked through the gates into the city-state. A  _ normal _ child - still shy, but cheerful and curious. On the flip side of that though, she discovered that he could be terribly mischievous and chatty when he wanted to be, sometimes sneaking off to watch a street performer or finding Ashfort in the marketplace to tell him all about some new thing about the world that he’d learnt from Qhita (she mostly let it be, though not without a few stern words here and there).

Today was going to be a whole lot of learning, however, so she hoped he’d keep the mischievousness to a minimum.

“Yeah, the decorations are for Starlight,” Qhita told him, gesturing to the numerous tiny star shapes littering the cobbled path. “It’s an annual Eorzean holiday.”

“Ohhhhh, like All Saints Wake? Mmkay.” Vhano’a stopped abruptly to crouch on the floor, squinting at the stars. “Why  _ Star _ light? Why not Moonlight? Menphi deserves a holiday.”

“That she does, with how much she looks after ya,” Qhita agreed with a shrug and a grin, “but Starlight ain’t about Menphina. And get up off the floor, you look odd.”

Vhano’a jumped up from his crouch, opting instead to look up at the string lights again now that the large brim of his hat obscured most of the light from his sensitive Keeper eyes. “What’s it about, then?”

Qhita straightened her posture and cleared her throat. “Well, Starlight has a nice history that started all the way up north, in a region called Coerthas. It all started when… Uh… Some knights in red… They, uh…” She blinked, frowning. “... Shit, I don’t remember, actually.”

Vhano’a just barely stifled a giggle, but his wide grin still got him the (playful) glare of his sister.

“T-the ‘istory don’t matter!” Qhita argued, lightly punching his shoulder before restarting her walk towards the amphitheatre, Vhano’a skipping along beside her. “Nowadays, Starlight’s a time in winter where people go around giving gifts. Some folks dressed in big red coats usually hang around the amphitheatre too, givin’ gifts to kids and singin’ carols.”

“Gifts? What are- Ooh, I can hear the carols…” Vhano’a’s ears flicked towards the faint chorus of voices coming from the direction of the amphitheatre, before he looked up at his sister with a big-eyed look. “Can we go see the carol singers? Pleaseeee?”

“Of course we’re gonna go see ‘em, ya plonker! And don’t look at me like that, it’s too powerful,” Qhita said, pushing her hand into Vhano’a’s face with a sigh and a resigned smile. “Never should’ve taken ya to that play ‘bout the clever street orphans…”

“You liked that one, though!” Vhano’a pushed her hand away and giggled as they made their way to the amphitheatre. The young boy hummed a tune as they went along, and Qhita recognised it.

“Which play’s that from?” She asked, faking obliviousness.

“ _ The Forest of Lost Love! _ ” He replied happily, clapping his gloved hands together. “Remember, the one with Theo and Princess Matilda? It’s the song Theo sings about winnin’... I mean…” He cleared his throat and spoke more clearly. “It’s the song Theo sings about how he’ll win the battle and rescue his beloved princess from the dastardly witch!”

“Ahhh, I see. Your stage voice is gettin’ better,” Qhita complimented with a smirk.

“Ya think so?” Vhano’a said excitedly, going straight back to his normal way of speaking. “I’ve been followin’ all the fancy people that travel through the forest at night, so I get plenty of practicin’ in!”

“I’m amazed you’re able to practice while still gettin’ all those hunts done,” Qhita commented, and she was entirely truthful - gradually Vhano’a was getting more and more skilled in his hunting, to the point where sometimes he’d been able to meet their mother’s unreasonable demands all on his own. Only sometimes, however - but Qhita had taught him how to cook his own catches for when he failed.

The pair arrived at the amphitheatre, and Vhano’a gasped at all the colourful decorations lighting up the area as brightly as daytime. String lights hung from the rafters above the stage, star and snowflake shapes glowed on the wooden fences and the stone floors. Snowmen were dotted about, some by fake present boxes and others in groups, all dressed uniquely to give them their own personality. The biggest decorations, however, were the towering trees decorated in all manner of baubles and candles, with a large golden star adorning the top of each one. Underneath these trees, small groups of people gathered, singing carols about Starlight and the snow. Qhita couldn’t help but hum along as they walked past with her tail happily curling - she’d always loved this holiday and the spirit of it all, though the songs could get grating after a time.

“What’re these?” Vhano’a asked Qhita, pointing to the snowmen by the gate and poking the smaller one curiously. Its hat tipped sideways.

“Snowmen,” Qhita replied. “Ya make ‘em by rollin’ up two balls of snow and decoratin’ them to have faces.”

“Ohhhhh.” Vhano’a admired the snowmen, copying the expression of one with a happy eyes-closed smile before shivering, pulling his oversized coat closer to himself. “Wish I had a scarf like they do…” he mumbled.

Qhita frowned, a wave of guilt washing over her at how warm she was in her purple fur-lined coat and soft scarf. All of Vhano’a’s clothes were spares and hand-me-downs, and he never seemed to mind (or at least say anything to the contrary), but for whatever reason Mother had refused to give him anything more than an old rolanberry-dyed coat that swamped him for the colder weather, claiming that he’d be moving around enough hunting to keep warm. He hadn’t complained about it, and actually had been excited to finally wear something in tribe colours, so she thought it was okay, but… A part of Qhita, cynical and suspicious, had to wonder if Mother actually believed what she told him, or if she was…

“Well hello there, children! A merry Starlight to you both!”

Vhano’a startled with a squeak and hid behind Qhita, pulling his hat down over his face. Qhita patted his shoulder reassuringly and turned to the owner of the voice behind them - a brown-haired Hyur woman dressed in a festive red and white coat and big black boots.

“Merry Starlight!” Qhita returned the greeting with a grin, before gesturing to Vhano’a. “Sorry ‘bout him - he’s a bit skittish when he’s surprised, especially by strangers.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to startle him.” The woman smiled apologetically. “Gridanian children are so much shyer than any back home in Ul’dah…”

_ So she’s not from here, _ Qhita thought with relief.  _ She’s okay for him to interact with. _

“It’s okay, don’t worry ‘bout it,” Qhita said with a smile. “It’s actually his first Starlight, you know - prob’ly just excitable.”

“His first, you say?” How exciting! The Hyur lady stepped towards the boy and knelt down in front of him. “What’s your name, young man?”

Vhano’a cautiously peeked out from behind his sister, his face still hidden from view by way of his hat. “Um… I…”

“She’s alright,” Qhita whispered to him.

“Ah, okay.” The boy looked up at her and smiled, holding out his hand like he’d watched all the fancier theatregoers do. “I’m Vhano’a. Nice to meet ya, miss.”

“Vhano’a, what a lovely name!” The woman shook his hand and giggled. “It’s nice to meet you as well - my name’s Estrid, and I’m one of the helpers for Starlight this year. What do you know about Starlight, Vhano’a?”

“Ah, um…” He looked up at Qhita, brow furrowed as he tried to remember. “Sis said… People gather to sing songs and give… gifts?”

“That’s right!” Estrid stood up and smiled brightly, gesturing to the stage where a small crowd of people in similarly-styled coats to hers were organising colourful boxes. “We don’t  _ really _ start giving out gifts to children until tomorrow, buuuut… Would you and your sister like to be the first children to have a Starlight gift?”

“Really? The first?” The boy looked at his sister, then back to Estrid. “How much does it cost?”

Estrid gave him a strange look. “Why, it… it’s a gift. So it’s free.”

_ Shit, right… Quick, quick, think of something!! _

“Vhano’a, of course it’s free! Stop teasin’ the nice lady, ya little troublemaker,” Qhita spoke up, poking Vhano’a’s cheek before turning to the lady and giving her a resigned shrug before the boy could say something. “Kids, right?” She laughed. “Lead the way, Miss Estrid!”

“Uh… Yes, of course! Right this way.” Estrid smiled, seemingly putting the strange situation behind her as she beckoned the two children into the amphitheatre and onto the stage. To Qhita it felt like she was doing something thrillingly forbidden, as she’d only ever watched plays from the seats - Vhano’a, meanwhile, happily hopped up as easily as he had hopped down those few moons ago on his first visit to Gridania.

“Um, sis?” Vhano’a whispered, tugging Qhita’s sleeve to grab her attention as Estrid turned away to talk with her fellow helpers. “What’s a gift?”

“I’ll tell ya later,” Qhita whispered back, though in all honesty she had no idea how to even begin to answer such an enormous question. She quickly changed the topic. “But look at all these boxes! What do ya think’s in ‘em?”

Vhano’a gazed at the large stacks of presents with awe and wonder, commenting to Qhita about the pretty patterns and the neatly tied ribbons and outwardly wondering what was inside each box. Of course, each answer was distinctly… Vhano’a.

“Ooh, that looks like Mister Ash’s boxes! Maybe there’s cakes in those… Can we go see him next?”

“That one’s small and thin… maybe it’s a nice hunting knife inside? Or, or, maybe some… what do ya call those feathers for writing again?”

“Wow, that one’s  _ huge… _ There could be a whole hog in there! That would be  _ amazin’…” _

Qhita silently thanked Menphina that Vhano’a talked quietly enough for none of the helpers to notice the strange eight year-old talking about dead animals and knives.

Once she finished her conversation Estrid nodded to herself, looking amongst the presents keenly before picking up two boxes with green and red ribbons and walking back to the children.

“Here you are!” She said happily, holding out the green ribboned present for Qhita and the red ribboned present for Vhano’a. Qhita took her box and nodded thankfully to the woman, but Vhano’a was hesitant.

“Um… But, I don’t have anythin’ to trade in return…” He said, looking up at Estrid with a worried look. Estrid, however, simply shook her head with a smile.

“You don’t need to exchange gifts with us, Vhano’a - these particular presents are given out to all the children in all three city-states, free of charge,” she explained. Qhita vaguely recalled her mother explaining something along those lines - some anonymous donor from Ul’dah paying for it all. It was a lovely gesture, she thought.

Vhano’a stared at Estrid, then at the box, his expression changing to the perfect example of childish wonder. “So… I can have this? All to myself, for free?”

“Yes you can! Why don’t you see what’s inside?”

With a quick glance at Qhita to make doubly sure it was alright, Vhano’a carefully pulled the red ribbon, admiring its silkiness before pocketing it and opening the box. Qhita watched with a warm, fuzzy feeling as the boy pulled out a large red and white striped scarf, his ears flicking up with a happy gasp.

“I was just sayin’ to Sis that I wanted a scarf!” He exclaimed excitedly, dropping the box with a clatter before trying - and failing - to put the scarf on himself. “How’d ya know? Were ya spyin’ on us?”

“Ha ha! Why, it’s simply the magic of Starlight, my young friend!”

The siblings’ ears picked up at the sound of a familiar, melodic voice. A blonde Miqo’te woman in a similar red and white coat to Estrid’s stepped forward with a spirited grin, kneeling down to help Vhano’a put on his scarf. “It’s lovely meeting you again! How have you been?”

“Oh!” Qhita spoke up, recognising the young woman and her dainty, delicate movements. “You’re that actress who played-“

“Princess Matilda…” Vhano’a interrupted, his face turning an adorable shade of pink as he stared up in awe. The woman smiled warmly at him, patting his shoulders once she’d finished wrapping him up in his new scarf.

“Tis true! My real name is S’khalette.” S’khalette stood and curtsied. “A pleasure to meet you both properly! That play was definitely one of my more memorable ones.”

Qhita nodded back politely, hugging her present box close to her chest. “What’re ya doin’ here?” she asked. “Wouldn’t there be lotsa plays around this time of year?”

“Ah, well, the theatre troupe is on an unexpected break due to our director falling ill, so I signed up to help with Starlight preparations and was assigned here. Any job’s a good’un for me, but helping magic come to life? It’s a childhood dream come true!” The young woman clapped her hands together with a carefree smile. Qhita smiled and nodded in acknowledgement - the life of a performer sounded very… erratic. She made a mental note of it.

S’khalette turned to Vhano’a, hands on her hips. “But how is our aspiring little thespian on Starlight? Do you like your gift~?”

Too distracted by the pretty lady in front of him to ask what exactly a thespian was, Vhano’a instead cleared his throat and straightened his posture to address the young woman, using his clearer ‘stage voice’. “A very happy… I mean,, merry Starlight to you too, Miss S’khalette!” He bowed deeply, the hempen hat on his head falling forwards. Combined with his too-big coat hanging off his shoulders, he looked like a walking pile of laundry. Qhita barely stifled a laugh. “‘Tis a pleasure to meet you again! The scarf is my first ever gift, and it’s, hm…”

“Yes~?” S’khalette said encouragingly.

“It’s… Delightful! Yes, absolutely delightful!” Vhano’a decided, before looking up at her with a bright grin and dropping back to his normal accent. “Thanks for helpin’ me put it on! It’s nice an’ warm~”

The three girls laughed at his theatrical antics, making him grin even more and his little tail wag like a very excitable metronome. Qhita glanced at her brother’s box, only to notice something else in it and nudged him.

“Hey, you’ve only got half of your Starlight gift,” she told him, gesturing to the box. With a surprised look Vhano’a practically leapt to the box again, digging around the soft paper inside until…

“Oh, wow! A chocobo!”

He pulled out a tiny stuffed chocobo, small enough to sit comfortably when he cupped his hands together. It looked at him with large button eyes and a smile on its orange beak, complete with a scarf wrapped around its neck that matched the boy’s. Vhano’a turned it in his hands, inspecting every little detail. They had some few toys back home, but, as per tradition, Vhano’a was stripped of them as soon as he could hold a bow, before he could even remember he had them… This was one more thing to add a sense of normalcy to his childhood, Qhita supposed with a smile. How they’d hide it from Mother could come later.

“What do you say to the nice ladies?” Qhita gently prodded him.

“Oh! Yeah.” Vhano’a held the chocobo in one hand while using the other to bow to Estrid and S’khalette. “Thanks very much! I, um, I’ve never ‘ad a gift before, so it’s extra special! Merry Starlight!”

“Yeah, merry Starlight!” Qhita echoed with a bright grin, before turning more sincere and stepping towards the two women while Vhano’a dutifully tidied up his box. “Thanks for the gifts - really, truly.”

“Of course,” Estrid said, nodding solemnly. “I may not know your family’s situation, but I'm of the firm belief that no child should be without a Starlight present, no matter their circumstance.”

“Do come along later, won’t you lovely?” S’khalette suggested with a smile. “We’re having a choir rehearsal ready for tomorrow, and we could use a test audience~”

“Ooh, we definitely will!” Qhita replied with a grin. “I actually love Starlight carols, I was hopin’ to get my brother to…”

She trailed off, suddenly noticing the lack of a small pile of laundry-looking child. All that was left as a trace of Vhano’a was a neatly tidied box without its ribbon left lying on the stage. Qhita frowned while her ear flicked - the rustling had only stopped… maybe five seconds ago, which meant he hadn’t gotten far at all…

A flash of light blue out of the corner of Qhita’s eye made her look to the distance, where Vhano’a - or more accurately, his large brown hat - could be seen bobbing up and down towards the marketplace. She sighed and apologised to the two women, who politely curtsied back and wished her a merry Starlight once again before returning to help with the rest of the organising. Qhita hopped off the stage and started jogging towards and into the marketplace, still holding tightly onto her own Starlight present.

“... But then, then Sis said I still had somethin’, so I checked, and… Ta-da~!”

“Wow, your own chocobo! You’ve even got matching scarves!”

_ Of course, _ Qhita thought with a resigned smile and shake of her head, heading towards Ashfort’s bakery stall. The stall itself had been decorated, no doubt by the Duskwight Elezen’s own hand - a wreath made of festive holly and moss, decorated with snowflakes, hung from the front, with an adorably small snowman sitting on the table with a big v-shaped twig smile. Ashfort himself was wearing a red beret with white trimming, and was currently nodding along to Vhano’a showing him his new toy chocobo and telling him about S’khalette.

“So I bowed to her and wished her a merry Starlight, and she smiled and laughed!” The boy said, a goofy grin on his face.

“I see! Well, of course, that’s what happens when you’re proper and polite, Vhano’a,” Ashfort replied before looking up and noticing Qhita approach. “Ah, I was wondering where your sister was.”

“Uh-oh.” Vhano’a glanced behind at his sister looking incredibly guilty, trying to hide it by pulling his hat over his face to no avail. Qhita poked his cheek and sighed.

“Evenin’, Ashfort,” she greeted the Elezen. “Merry Starlight!”

“Merry Starlight!” Vhano’a copied, rubbing his cheek.

“Merry Starlight to you both!” Ashfort replied with a grin. “How are you both today? Vhano’a’s been telling me about his first ever gift.”

“We’re good! How’s things on your end?” Qhita asked, looking behind the table. “There aren’t as many goods back there - does that mean you’re sellin’ more?”

“Ever observant!” Ashfort praised as he started tying string around the various bags and boxes of baked goods. “Starlight’s a busy but profitable time for everyone in the market - I’ve even had a few new customers lately looking for gifts!”

“Profiti… Profitable means more money, right? That’s great!” Vhano’a piped up, before a thought occurred to the boy and he turned to his sister. “Oh yeah, you were gonna tell me what a gift was, Sis. Are they always for free?”

“Oh! Uh… yeah,” Qhita said, rubbing the back of her neck with her free hand. She was still getting the hang of teaching Vhano’a things - just when she thought she had it down, he’d ask a whole new question that would throw her off guard. She had to wonder if she was like that at his age, or if Mother had taught her enough that she didn’t need to ask so much. “A gift is… somethin’ you give to someone ya care about, out of the kindness in your heart, to make ‘em happy,” she attempted to answer. “Everyone likes gettin’ gifts, so long as ya put a bit of thought into givin’ ‘em something they’ll like.” She looked at her brother with an uncertain look. “Does… that make sense?”

Vhano’a hummed, staring at the chocobo doll in his hand. “I think so… Like a trade, but ya get happiness instead of gil. I like that.”

“That’s a nice way of putting it,” Qhita agreed with a soft smile. Happiness had quickly become one of Vhano’a’s most favourite things since the visits to Gridania started - whether it was Qhita, Ashfort, or even a stranger he couldn’t give his name to (as per Qhita’s strict rule), he always tried his best to make them smile in his own way. Sometimes that way even included straight-out asking them to smile - that always got the funniest reactions (and almost got him in trouble more than once).

“People you care about…” Vhano’a closed his eyes and hummed again, deep in thought, before his ears and tail flicked upwards as something came to his mind. He turned to Ashfort with a bright grin. “Can I give ya a gift, Mister Ash?”

The Elezen’s eyes widened at the blunt request, clearly taken aback. “Are you sure?”

“Mmhm!” Vhano’a nodded, pointing at him. “You always make me happy with your cakes an’ with you listenin’ to me! Now I wanna make ya happy with a gift!”

After a moment of stunned silence, Ashfort laughed and smiled at the boy. “Do you have something for me, then?”

“Um…” Vhano’a’s brow furrowed, clearly having forgotten a step in the gift-giving process. “I’ll… I’ll find ya somethin’!” He said decisively, before opening his messenger bag and diving his hand into the variety of contents from his hunting and gathering, a fierce look of determination on his face.

“... So, what’s your Starlight gift then, Qhita?” Ashfort asked warmly. Qhita looked down at the box in her hands with delayed surprise - she got too distracted chasing after her brother that she forgot to even open her own present. Setting it down on Ashfort’s stall table, she pulled the ribbon and ripped open the box. (That was another favourite part of Starlight for her - making a mess of the delicate wrapping.)

Inside the box was a journal with a purple-dyed cloth cover, along with a small, neatly boxed collection of pencils. All things considered it was a basic Starlight gift in that most any child would be happy to receive it, but even so Qhita couldn’t help the wide, ecstatic grin that grew on her face as she hugged the gift with an excited giggle that caught Ashfort by surprise.

“Do you write, then?” He asked curiously.

“I, uh… I draw, actually,” Qhita admitted somewhat sheepishly, tucking the gift into her bag. “Not portraits or anythin’ like that - I like drawin’ landscapes, stuff in the Twelveswood I find, that kinda thing. Fahrah and Izoh don’t know - got a tough image to maintain, y’know?”

“I see!” Ashfort nodded with a smile. “That  _ is _ quite surprising, if you don’t mind my saying so - you’ve never mentioned it before.”

“No-one asked,” Qhita replied with a shrug and a playful grin. “It’s just my own thing - I don’t wanna get famous for it or nothin’.”

“Ah-ha! Mister Ash, I found your Starlight gift!”

Ashfort and Qhita looked at a grinning Vhano’a, who waved for the Elezen to lean over the counter towards him. Ashfort did just that, leaning over with a confused but nonetheless amused look.

“Close your eyes - I don’t wanna poke your eye out,” Vhano’a told him, to which Ashfort happily complied, shutting his eyes. He felt the brush of a coat sleeve against one side of his face, then something being gently pushed against his beret, before there were the sounds of gloved hands being dusted off and a satisfied chuckle from Vhano’a.

“Okie, open your eyes now!” The boy told him. “Oh but be careful!! It’s prickly.”

Carefully, Ashfort lifted a hand to where Vhano’a had been fiddling with his hat. He felt his fingertips brush against smooth, pointy leaves.

“Holly?” He guessed with a smile, to which Vhano’a excitedly nodded.

“Yeah! It’s green and red, like everything else in Starlight!” He explained with over-dramatic hand gestures. “You always say ya don’t sell too much, an’ people don’t talk to ya a lot. I dunno why, but if ya dress up more festive-like people might come and buy more things, and then you’ll have more money, an’ more friends too!”

Qhita stared at him, eyes wide in surprise. How did he think of that in such a short time?

“I… I-I see.” Ashfort glanced away, wiping at his eyes for a moment before smiling widely at the boy. “That’s… very thoughtful, Vhano’a, thank you very much.”

“Hee hee~” Vhano’a turned to his sister and grinned so widely his tiny fangs could be seen. “I gave my first ever gift~”

Ashfort smiled wider before turning behind the counter. “As it happens, I have a Starlight gift for you and your sister too~”

At this, Qhita’s ears perked up. “You do?” She asked with more excitement than she intended.

“Indeed! I knew it would be Vhano’a’s first Starlight, so I took the opportunity to bake something extra special.” Ashfort placed a box carefully on the counter and lifted the lid, letting the two siblings look inside.

“... A log?” Vhano’a said, the confusion clear in his voice.

“A Starlight Log,” Ashfort corrected. “It’s a traditional chocolate cake around Gridania, meant to look like the sacred trees in the Twelveswood.” He sounded incredibly proud, a hand on his scruffy chin as he continued. “Usually they’re much bigger, but this one happens to be just the right size for two small children exploring the city. And Starlight Logs are a speciality of mine, you see! So you can bet it’ll be the best cake you’ll have all year~”

“Ooooooooh,” the siblings exclaimed, staring at the log in wonder. With a light dusting of sugar to resemble the light snows of the Shroud’s winters and chocolate detailing to look like bark, it really did look like one of the trees Qhita and Vhano’a were so familiar with, and the red and gold ribbon perched on top completed the festive look. They looked at each other, grinning in delight, before looking up at the almost smug-looking Elezen.

“Thank you!” They said together, before Qhita picked up the box with both hands to avoid shaking it around and ruining Ashfort’s masterpiece.

“You’re more than welcome!” Ashfort bowed gracefully with a chuckle. “What other plans do you have for tonight?”

“I dunno!” Vhano’a looked up at his sister as his ears flicked upwards, excited for the prospect of more Starlight activities. “What else are we gonna do, Sis?”

Qhita grinned knowingly at the boy. “Welllll, we’re gonna have a look at the decorations some more, an’ then we’re gonna watch the choir practice their singin’! How’s that sound?”

Vhano’a gasped loudly. “That sounds  _ amazin’! _ Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! Bye Mister Ash!!” He exclaimed before running off out of the market, the too-long sleeves of his coat trailing behind him.

“Better go before he finds a way up onto the stage again,” Ashfort said to Qhita with a chuckle.

“At least he can’t improvise his way out of not knowing Starlight carols,” Qhita replied with a shrug. “Thanks for the gift, Ashfort, have a good one!” She waved politely to the Elezen before following after her brother, cake box in hand. As it turned out Vhano’a had only ran a short distance before stopping and crouching under a nearby streetlamp, staring intently at something - Qhita caught up to him easily.

“Sis, look!” Vhano’a pointed excitedly at a miniature snowman barely reaching the boy’s knees in height, sitting under the streetlamp with a happy smile and an even smaller gift box next to it.

“Aw, you finally have a friend the same height as you~” Qhita cooed with a smug smirk. Vhano’a pouted at her, standing from his crouch and reaching up to poke her cheek in retaliation for all the times she’d done it to him. Qhita laughed, but then looked fondly at the tiny snowman. “It  _ is _ adorable though, I’ll give ya that. Findin’ all the tiny snowmen around’s one of my favourite things to do.”

“There’s more…?”

“Mmhm, all over Gridania~”

Vhano’a gasped. His expression turned into something adorably determined as he looked up at his sister. “We must find them all,” he said sincerely, as if it were a solemn quest of the highest importance. After a long five seconds of deliberation and finding it just as important, Qhita agreed with a nod and a grin, and so the two set off on a great expedition to find all the tiny snowmen.

Qhita informed Vhano’a that over the years, she noticed there were usually about twenty-five tiny snowmen around Gridania. They were easy to miss for a normal person simply going about their day, but these two siblings were trained hunters - with keen eyes and an encyclopaedic knowledge of hiding spots in the wild, they were sure to find them all!

There were some on the windowsills of the guilds, some sitting next to the big snowmen like little children, some that were exchanging gifts with each other… there was one with cat-like ears carefully perched on a large tree branch at the Conjurer’s Guild that Vhano’a tried to climb up to, but Qhita quickly pulled him down from the tree before he could. It took maybe half a bell, but…

“Well that’s borin’,” Qhita muttered, frowning at a small happy snowman on a bench in the amphitheatre. “That makes twenty-five snowmen. That seemed easier than last year…”

She caught a shuffle of speedy movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned just in time to see Vhano’a crawled halfway under another bench, his stubby tail swishing excitedly.

“I found one!!” He exclaimed, voice muffled from under the seat before he scrambled back out to sit on the floor with a wide fanged grin, holding up a snowman. “It was hidin’ underneath!”

“Ohhh, twenty-six this year!” Qhita walked up to him and grinned. “Good job on findin’ ‘im! Make sure you put ‘im back so he can stay safe, yeah?”

“Yup yup!” Vhano’a dived down under the seat again, carefully putting the tiny snowman back where he found him with a gentle pat on the head before getting up and sitting down on the bench, kicking his feet idly while looking around at the rest of the theatre’s decorations again, no less in awe. With nothing else to do but wait until the choir began their practice, Qhita sat down next to him and finally opened the cake box, revealing the small Starlight log from Ashfort. She dug into her bag to find some semblance of cutlery, accidentally pulling out the pencils she’d gotten. She looked at them fondly.

“Oh!” Vhano’a noticed and smiled, pointing at the pencils. “Were they your Starlight gift? You were talkin’ to Mister Ash about drawin’ earlier.”

“Hm? Oh, yeah.” Qhita quickly stuffed the pencils in her bag, this time correctly pulling out a fork and a spoon - they’d just have to make do. “I got a journal an’ some pencils, that’s all.”

“But that means you can draw more!” Vhano’a exclaimed excitedly, his ears flicking upwards. “Can I see your drawings when they’re done? I love seein’ ‘em!”

Qhita grinned, handing Vhano’a the spoon. “Yeah, sure! Maybe I’ll even draw ya somethin’ for your nameday as a gift~”

The boy was about to attack the sweet treat when he stopped, a confused frown on his face. “But my nameday’s not ‘til spring… Gifts are just for Starlight, aren’t they?”

_ Whoops, another detail missin’. _ Qhita hummed to herself, lips pursed.  _ This teachin’ stuff is hard. _

“Gifts can be given whenever, actually,” she clarified, stabbing at the Starlight log with her fork. “Most of ‘em are for Starlight, but people also give ‘em on namedays, an’ sometimes people give gifts just ‘cause. Ya don’t always need a big event to give a gift - ya just do it to make someone happy, remember?”

“Ohhhhh. Okay! That sounds real nice~” Vhano’a nodded and set to work on the sweet treat, scooping up a generous spoonful of cake and chocolate before somehow managing to fit it all in his mouth without making a mess. Instantly his ears flicked in pure delight, his eyes lighting up like bright candle flames as he made a loud, happy hum.

“This  _ is  _ the best cake I’ve ‘ad all year!” He said in disbelief before going in for another large bite.

“Oi, don’t hog it all to yourself, cheeky bugger! And slow down, else you’ll get sick!”

Despite her scolding Qhita went for the cake just as quickly, if only to ensure she got her fair share before Vhano’a could scarf it all down himself. Before long the Starlight log was nothing but crumbs, and the two siblings hummed in contentment, watching the choir singers slowly gather for their rehearsal. Snowflakes had started to dance their way down - not enough to be deemed a proper snowfall, but enough to set a lovely winter atmosphere. Nonetheless, Qhita watched as Vhano’a shivered, clutching at his new scarf for warmth.

“Good thing ya got that gift, huh?” She said to him lightheartedly. “Doin’ okay?”

“Mmhm, it’s waaarm~” He purred happily, watching the crowd before something - or someone - caught his eye and he suddenly sprung from his seat. “Oh, I’ve got another gift to give! I’ll be right back!” He said before dashing off towards the stage, leaving Qhita no time to stop or even question him. She sighed deeply, holding her chin in her hand, and resigned herself to watching.

Vhano’a slipped easily in between people until literally, and accidentally, bumping into S’khalette standing just to the side of the stage. “Oof!”

“Oh dear! Watch where you’re going, my little friend~” The young woman laughed and patted Vhano’a’s head affectionately. “Come to say hello again? I’m afraid you won’t be able to join us up on stage like last time…”

Suddenly, Vhano’a found that all his prior excitement at giving S’khalette a gift was replaced with nervousness - he could feel his face grow warm as he looked up at S’khalette’s kind, pretty smile, and almost forgot what he was going to say to her.

_ Don’t act stupid now!  _ He thought to himself.  _ Remember, remember! Be Theo! _

“N-nah! I came to see ya ‘cause… U-um…” After a moment’s hesitation Vhano’a cleared his throat dramatically, putting on his stage voice once more as he dug into his coat pocket while gazing up at S’khalette with sincerity.

“I-I have… ventured to see you once more, in this freezing snowstorm…”

He gestured to the gentle snowfall.

“... so that I… I may give you a gift fit for a princess on Starlight!” With a quick, nervous bow, he presented her with the silky red ribbon he’d pocketed from his Starlight gift box. “I-I hope it makes you smile, Miss S’khalette!”

For a moment, the young woman was silent, and Vhano’a briefly considered running away and hiding somewhere (he’d already scouted out a nice secluded bush as a potential hiding spot earlier - hunting habit), but then-

“Awww… Why thank you, darling!” S’khalette happily took the ribbon from the boy’s gloved hands, admiring it with a bright smile. “It’s such a lovely colour of red, and the light catches it ever so well! What a lovely Starlight gift~”

Vhano’a watched with a warm, proud feeling in his chest as she brought together her long hair and tied it up with the ribbon, the red a stark, festive contrast against the yellow.

“How does it look?” She asked him.

“Pretty!” He replied, grinning despite his red cheeks. S’khalette giggled and abruptly swept the boy up in a brief hug, making him freeze. He couldn’t remember the last time he got one… but it was such a nice feeling that he happily returned the hug until S’khalette let go, his tiny tail swishing nonstop all the while.

“Thank you very much again, my little friend - no, my little prince! Truly, your Starlight gift has made me the happiest I have been all day~” She smiled warmly at him before noticing the rest of the carollers gathering up on the stage. “Oh, it seems we’re ready for rehearsal - will you and your sister be watching?”

“Of course!! We love music~” Vhano’a nodded and bowed once more. “Merry Starlight, Miss S’khalette!” He exclaimed before quickly rushing back to his seat, eager not to miss a second of singing. Qhita was watching him with a smug-looking smirk - he looked away, feeling his face warm up again.

“Did she like it?”

“... Yeah,” he mumbled as he sat, fidgeting shyly but unable to hide the smile on his face.

“That’s good~” Qhita’s smirk gave way to a more sincere smile. “You like givin’ gifts, then?”

“Mmhm! Tradin’ things for happiness is nicer than tradin’ for gil.” Something then seemed to spring to the boy’s mind. “Oh! Should I give a Starlight gift to Mother? What about for the whole tribe?” He looked up at his sister with a smile, though she was suddenly frowning. “I care about ‘em too, I wanna make ‘em happy with gifts!”

“No. Absolutely not.”

Vhano’a flinched at Qhita’s harsh tone - something the girl immediately went back on, speaking more carefully. “W-what I mean is, you literally can’t,” she clarified as she put a hand on her brother’s shoulder gently. “I know you just wanna make ‘em happy, I get it, but you’re not supposed to know what Starlight is, or even what a gift is. If ya suddenly went along givin’ things that aren’t your catches to everyone, Mother’s gonna get suspicious, y’know?”

Vhano’a’s bright-eyed expression dulled a little, his gaze falling to the floor in front of him as he idly scuffed his boots against what he could reach of the ground. “... Yeah. Mmkay.”

Qhita’s heart ached at seeing her brother so sad, and she found herself speaking before thinking. “B-but hey, that doesn’t mean we can’t give gifts to each other! Starlight, namedays, you name it!”

Instantly the boy looked up at her hopefully. “Really?”

“Yeah!” Too far to back out now, and wanting to make him happy anyway, she grinned at him and nodded. “It doesn’t have to be a  _ big _ thing, but we can have our own secret gift-givin’ thing for Starlight and namedays. Ya like that?”

“I  _ love _ that!” Vhano’a’s amber eyes lit up once again, no doubt imagining all the gifts he could give in the future. “We should start now!”

“A-ah, but…” Qhita stuttered, not expecting the conversation to take this particular turn, “I don’t have-“

“S’okay! I just wanna give ya a gift,” Vhano’a told her, digging into his messenger bag. “Ya taught me about Starlight and gifts tonight, so that can be your gift to me!”

“... Oh. Okay.” Qhita stared at him, at a loss for words. Had he… always been like this, or were the sappy plays they watched together influencing him just that much? A lot of them did have morals about non-material things being better than gold and treasure and the like…

_ Maybe I should be more careful about what I show ‘im, _ she thought to herself with an amused smile.  _ That one street orphan play already taught him how to beg for somethin’... _

“Here!”

Vhano’a cheerfully pulled out something curved, white and bloody from his bag - a hog tusk, with bits of dried-out flesh and blood still attached to it. With a big smile he held it out for Qhita, who carefully took it and inspected it closely.

“Are ya sure?” She asked quietly, brushing away some of the blood that had crusted off. “This is good quality… Clean it off, give it to Mother with your catches and she could sell it for a pretty penny. She might even be pleased with it.”

Vhano’a shook his head. “Nah! It’s a special tusk, I ain’t sellin’ it.”

Qhita tilted her head to the side. “Special? Why’s that?”

The boy grinned. “It’s from the hog ya taught me how to cook with! Remember?”

Qhita stared at him, then back at the tusk. Indeed, she did remember - how could she forget? It was the second night in a row that Mother had forbade him from dinner, something that had never happened before, and Qhita had quickly finished her own meal at home before finding her brother crying up in a tree in the Twelveswood and teaching him all that she knew about building a fire, preparing a catch for food, and then roasting meat over a spit. It wasn’t much, she had thought, and it wasn’t the best lesson - the pork from the boar he’d caught was plain and had burnt in some places, and she was in such a hurry to get him some food that she accidentally rendered a lot of the meat useless, leaving just the bones and skin salvageable - but he had been so thankful at the time, tears streaming down his cheeks while he ate by the campfire, that she couldn’t bring herself to care about anything else. It was Vhano’a’s first step towards independence from the tribe - not that he’d realised, of course, but the fact that he marked it as such a special event as to keep a valuable piece of a catch just to remember it by…

She stared at the tusk, then at Vhano’a, who smiled - not his usual cheeky grin, but a genuine, thankful smile.

“I dunno why you’re helpin’ me break Mum’s rules,” he admitted, “but… I’m real happy when I get to do it with ya. So, um…” He pointed to the tusk. “That’s my happiness about the times we break the rules, and I’m givin’ it to ya. That’s a good trade for teachin’ me about gifts, right? O-or, you could sell it or somethin’, if that makes ya happy too...”

Qhita bit the inside of her cheek hard to stop herself from crying - the soft, innocent music of the choir practicing wasn’t helping matters, damn it!

“Like hells I’d sell your happiness away,” she managed to say to him, voice wavering but still no tears falling. She counted that as a win. “Thank you, Vhano’a.” She looked at her brother with a watery grin, and suddenly jumped at him, taking off his hat to mess up his hair fiercely. “You dramatic little bugger, makin’ your big sister all sappy an’ shit!”

“Ah ha ha ha!! It was worth it~” Vhano’a giggled, his mischievous grin firmly back in place as he tried to squirm his way out of his sister’s reach.

“Shhhh!”

The two siblings froze, slowly looking at the choir staring at them with various degrees of exasperation. They quickly stopped and sat quietly, though not without some giggling between each other. Vhano’a took out his small stuffed chocobo from his bag and set it on his lap, and the two finally settled down to watch the choir sing, bringing an end to Vhano’a’s first Starlight.

_ Hopefully, _ Qhita thought, tucking the hog tusk into her bag with a smile,  _ the first of many. _


	5. A Decision and a Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do wonder if I went a bit too hard on this one... But I’m happy with it anyways.

A low whistle echoed through the Twelveswood, followed by the impatient tapping of a boot against a dirt path. Qhita sighed and ran a hand through her hair -  _ where the hells is he? It’s almost time to report back… Did he venture out past where Mother told him to go? He should still be able to hear my whistle… _

A flick of a dark blue ear alerted her to a voice, quiet but familiar, a fair distance away.

“... so I’ve got all that, and then I even picked some vegetables like Qhita taught me! She’s real clever, y’know that? Knows every vegetable growin’ in the Twelveswood, and which tastes best with which meat! I didn’t even know they could match up like that!”

_ Well, not  _ **_every_ ** _ vegetable… Yet. _

She followed the voice, getting less irritated and instead more amused the more she listened. Eventually she spotted a heavy-looking bag leaning against a tall tree, along with a short pair of scratched and bandaged legs kicking back and forth on one of the branches.

“... and now I know how to make Miq’abobs! I should show ya sometime! There’s a clearin’ a bit away with lots of space for you to shine down and see… How about in three days’ time?”

“Sounds good to me~”

Vhano’a jumped in his seat, looking down to glare at his grinning sister standing underneath the tree. “I wasn’t asking  _ you _ , I was asking Menphi!”

“How d’ya expect her to answer?” Qhita easily climbed her way up the tree to sit next to her brother, who was sitting exactly in the middle of a spot bathed in moonlight with his chocobo doll sitting in his lap. She plucked a twig and a loose leaf from his messy hair, to which he gave a mumble of thanks.

“Well, if a cloud moves in front of ‘er, that means no, an’ if there’s no clouds, that means yes!” Vhano’a explained with a big smile. “Clouds mean she’s turnin’ away, remember?”

She  _ did _ remember that, in fact. It was Menphina’s simple way of answering the prayers of the Katri tribe - but to apply it to any general question? Did that work?

“So… you’re prayin’ to her right now?” Qhita asked, gesturing to his hands splayed out on the branch to keep his balance. “‘Cause it don’t look like it.”

“Oh, nah, I’m just chattin’ with her. We do that a lot. I prayed before I started huntin’, like usual.”

“I… see.” Qhita tilted her head to the side, ever confused by her brother. She could reluctantly admit that she didn’t pray before every hunt - she and the other women of the tribe had different levels of devotion to the Lover, but most of the time prayers were relegated to particularly troubling times or on sacred days. She supposed it wasn’t unusual for Vhano’a to pray more often than they did, but she had to wonder whether or not it was considered blasphemous to chat to one of the Twelve like an imaginary friend.

“... Why do ya talk to Her so often?” She asked.

Vhano’a smiled at her, then up at the bright white moon - it was larger than normal tonight. “I figure She’s lonely, even with Dalamud with ‘er,” he explained, a gentle sympathy clear in his voice. “She only talks to people when they pray to ‘er, and the others only do that when they want somethin’, too. I think that’s, uh… what’s the word… selfish.”

Qhita shrugged - she couldn’t deny that.

“But I’m lonely a lot too, so we agreed to keep each other company when I’m out for the night.” Vhano’a petted his chocobo doll fondly. “I like to tell ‘er ‘bout my day - She always listens!”

“I always listen to you, too…” Qhita said quietly. She felt she had to point it out, feeling a tad guilty at the innocent admission that her brother was often lonely.

“Yeah, but you’re not always around ‘cause ya got important stuff to do with Mum and the others.” The boy shrugged, kicking his legs against the branch again. “Menphi’s always watchin’ where the moonlight can reach though, and the moonlight’s  _ everywhere _ in the Twelveswood.” He looked down with a soft smile, watching a puddle of moonlight shift with the wind. “Even if She doesn’t talk back too often, I think She likes listenin’ to somethin’ that ain’t another stuffy prayer.”

Qhita giggled at him. “I bet she does - I know I’d be bored silly up there with nothin’ but a hound and a buncha stars.” She looked at him and grinned, bumping his shoulder with hers. “I’m sure she’s always watchin’  _ you _ in particular - ya manage to get yourself into all kinds of mischief lately!”

Vhano’a giggled but didn’t disagree, his eyes bright and happy. “I can feel it too!” He told his sister, holding up one arm towards the moon while the other cradled his toy chocobo. “When the moonlight’s shinin’ on me, an’ I look up at Her, I feel warm, like a hug - that’s how I know she’s watchin’. I love ‘er just as much as She loves me, too - that’s why I always talk to ‘er and keep an eye on the rolanberries, even if I’m not allowed to use ‘em!”

“You watch the rolanberry bushes?” Qhita asked in surprise, putting a hand to her chin. “I thought Fahrah was in charge of them...”

“She is, but she doesn’t look after ‘em properly. Just waters ‘em and runs off to watch those people in yellow coats practice fightin’.” The boy let his arm fall to his side and proudly puffed his chest out. “ _ I _ trim the dead leaves and get rid of any insects! So really, I’m the one lookin’ after the rolanberries~”

“Wow~” Qhita grinned and lightly punched the boy’s shoulder. “Breakin’ the rules more than I thought!”

_ Though I’ll have to ask Fahrah about her daily chores later… Her mum’s gonna be none too pleased… _

Vhano’a grinned back, oblivious. “Of course! Breakin’ rules is fine if it makes Menphi happy, I think.”

“Can’t argue that,” Qhita shrugged. “No higher power than Menphina, after all.”

“Mmhm!” Vhano’a pointed at the stripes of war paint Qhita had applied a mere bell ago, looking incredibly proud. “Maybe the rolanberries I look after’ll make your war paint! Or, or! Maybe they’ll make my Marks one day! I can’t wait to get those…”

_ Oh, yeah, that… _ Qhita smiled sadly while Vhano’a mumbled to himself about what shape his tattoos would look like. Every Katri boy when they reach their sixteenth summer is obligated by tradition to receive face tattoos in the tribe’s colour, using the moon-grown rolanberries as pigment - they were known within the tribe as Menphina’s Marks. Qhita knew the truth behind it, as Mother had taught her a few years back when a long-forgotten brother of Izoh’s had turned sixteen - the tattoos were meant as a sort of permanent war paint, a symbol of their eternal duty to the Katri tribe - a brand, meant to show who they belonged to. Perhaps it  _ had _ been more about Menphina back in the day, but now…

Not that Vhano’a knew about any of that, of course - and it was better that way, she reasoned to herself. At least for now.

“What else do you do for her?” Qhita asked, curious about just how devout he was… in his own unique way, probably.

Vhano’a smiled proudly, his ears perking up and his tail flicking from side to side full of energy. “I always ask if She needs anythin’, and sometimes She’ll shine a moonbeam down at a plant or an animal, so I get it for Her as an offering! I’ve been practicin’ my singing, too, so I can sing songs to Her!”

“Like what we do when the new moon comes ‘round?” Qhita asked - whenever the moon disappeared from the sky, that was when Qhita’s favourite rolanberry tarts were made, as an offering for Menphina - the women of the tribe would gather to sing of love and of loving Her, and that would persuade Her to return. It was one of the few Katri traditions that Qhita actually enjoyed, though the women only being allowed to take part still bothered her.

“Yeah!” Vhano’a nodded, before leaning in and whispering. “I’ve, um… been watchin’ the ceremonies. Don’t tell Mum.”

“Jeez, you’re like a little ghost, watchin’ everyone without gettin’ spotted,” Qhita sighed and messed her brother’s already messy hair. “That’s good, though. You can learn more that way.”

“Yeah! Yeah…” The boy’s expression turned from one of happiness to confusion suddenly, and he looked up at his sister. “Why doesn’t Mum want me to learn about stuff, though? She teaches you, but not me.”

Qhita felt the conversation drifting into some very dangerous, but inevitable territory - she just wished it didn’t happen a mere year into their secret excursions. Or maybe she should’ve thought something up sooner… She  _ knew _ the answer, as she’d asked Mother herself, but…

She fiddled with the belt holding the quiver to her back as she thought of the right response. Vhano’a patiently waited, looking up at the moon in the meantime and humming a tune - one from a street performer a few weeks back, she recognised.

“Mother… thinks… that ya just need to hunt,” Qhita said slowly, thinking about every single word as it was leaving her mouth. “All Katri men are… They’re expected to provide for the tribe by hunting an’ gathering an’ the like, so that’s what they’re taught. She thinks teachin’ anythin’ else would be…”

_ “It’s a waste of my time, and yours, Qhita. The boy only needs to know how to hunt and how to obey orders.” Vhano glanced over at her son’s small, lonesome tent with a glare. “He’s just tryin’ to get out of his responsibilities - don’t indulge his attempts at distraction, darling.” _

“... I mean, she’s too busy to teach anythin’ else,” Qhita quickly amended with a lie, looking anywhere but at her brother.

“Oh. Mmkay.” Vhano’a hummed, looking at his chocobo doll as he fidgeted with it. His expression was unreadable as he processed what Qhita said.

_ Had it even made sense in the first place? _ The girl frowned, tapping her fingers against her quiver belt to distract herself.  _ Was it convincing enough?  _ She’d have to ask Ashfort some difficult questions the next time they visited...

“What if I learn myself?”

Qhita looked at her brother in confusion. “Huh?”

“I, um…” Vhano’a cautiously glanced around to make sure he wouldn’t be overheard in the quiet forest, before lowering to a whisper. “Huntin’s fun an’ all, but I wanna learn how to make music an’ act, like S’khalette an’ her… her…”

“Troupe?” Qhita offered, a smile slowly spreading to her face.

“Yeah!” Vhano’a nodded excitedly. “So if Mum’s too busy to teach me, I can teach myself! Would that be okay?”

Qhita hummed, running a hand through her hair. “I dunno… Remember, you have to fulfil your huntin’ duties first…”

“I can do that! I’ve already been catchin’ most of what Mum’s asked me while practicin’ my stage voice. I’ve only had to cook for myself three times all moon!” Vhano’a proclaimed proudly, blissfully unaware of the reality of his words. “I’ll get really good at huntin’ so I can get my chores done really quickly, and then I can spend the rest of the night practicin’! I’ll become the Katri tribe’s greatest performer, you’ll see!”

Qhita looked at her brother. He was grinning widely, legs kicking back and forth in excitement at the thought of his future while the chocobo doll in his lap looked at her with its big button eyes, unblinking - maybe it was just her mind, but she could’ve sworn it knew what she was thinking.

_ I know I wanted this to happen, but… Why couldn’t he have picked a quieter goal? _

“You’re certain ‘bout this?” She asked cautiously.

Vhano’a pouted. “Of course! I already told ya how I’m gonna do it!”

Qhita sighed, then smiled.  _ We’re in it for the long haul, now. _

“Well if you’re so sure, I say go for it!” She clapped her brother’s shoulder with a grin. “But if you’re gonna do it, you gotta do it properly, yeah?”

“Mmhm!” The boy nodded, amber eyes alight with a newfound determination. “I’m not gonna half-ass it!”

“... Where’d you learn that word?”

“From you.”

“Ah… Eh.” Qhita shrugged and smiled, bringing her arm around Vhano’a in a side hug. “But yeah, work real hard, and maybe one day you’ll get to join us singin’ for Menphina!”

_ I’ll make sure of it. _

Vhano’a’s ears perked up, his tail swishing excitedly as he giggled at the prospect. “I already sing for Her, she loves it! But that sounds nice anyroad.”

“ _ Just _ nice?”

“... Okay, really nice! I really wanna take part!” 

The two siblings laughed, then fell into silence, the weight of their decision starting to sink into place - for Qhita, anyway. The boy hummed to himself, and she started to think about how best to support his new goal. Acting… She could keep taking him to plays, that was no issue. But for music… Ah! A travelling merchant sometimes came to Gridania, selling specialty goods - she remembered seeing instruments at his stall sometimes. She wasn’t there all the time, but Ashfort was, so if she asked him for help… Oh but they’d have to tell him about Vhano’a’s new goal too! Qhita grinned - she could imagine Ashfort’s sappy, proud face already...

“Mum’s got a real nice singin’ voice,'' Vhano'a suddenly piped up.

Qhita looked at him, puzzled. “I… guess, yeah,” she agreed, recalling the ritual singing. “Nothin’ like the performers, though.”

Vhano’a hummed, not making a comment one way or another, before glancing at his sister. “Maybe, if I get real good, I can sing for…”

Something seemed to catch his eye mid-sentence - though Qhita couldn’t tell what - and he suddenly frowned. All of his earlier enthusiasm seemed to have dropped in an instant - his ears dropped and his gaze fell low, very low. Something that only happened when he was thinking about one particular person.

“Hey, what’s on your mind?” Qhita put a gentle hand on Vhano’a’s shoulder, despite already having a hunch.

“...”

“Vhano’a…”

“... Nothin’.”

“Bullshite.” Qhita frowned. “Tell me, Vhano’a.”

A long silence followed.

“... Do you think Mum loves me as much as Menphi does?” He finally asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Qhita’s put all her willpower into not tightening her grip on Vhano’a’s shoulder, while her heart nearly stopped in fear. This was the question she had been dreading, ever since she started showing him the things their mother forbade him from seeing. In her mind, Qhita knew the answer - the cruelest answer, something that should never be said to an innocent boy of nine summers. But despite her heart begging her to tell him otherwise, she didn’t know a convincing alternative. How was one supposed to lie convincingly about such a thing - to say that she loved him dearly despite the daily scoldings, despite limiting his knowledge of the world, despite never once smiling at him or acknowledging his efforts?

“... What makes ya think that?” Qhita asked, choosing to deflect instead.

Vhano’a thankfully didn’t seem to have noticed her hesitation in his sadness, or at least didn’t think it important enough to mention. “Well… I snuck back home early the other day, to give ya your nameday present.” He stared at his fidgeting hands as he spoke. “But when I was gonna go into your tent, I heard you and Mum talkin’ about the gift she gave you… The new hunting knife.”

Qhita put a hand to the belt around her waist, where the new leather sheath was tied. “You noticed.”

“It’s a nice-lookin’ knife,” he complimented with a small smile at her. “But… Mum’s never given me a nameday present before. An’ you told me that gifts are for people ya care about, so… I thought, maybe…”

“M-men of the Katri tribe aren’t allowed gifts,” Qhita blurted out. “That’s the tradition. Mum doesn’t mean anythin’ bad by it; she’s just followin’ her rules as tribe matriarch.”

She resisted the urge to look away as her brother’s expression changed from sad to confused to… unreadable again.

“Oh. Mmkay.” Vhano’a nodded slowly, turning so the curtains of his hair blocked his face. “So… our gifts are another secret thing? I guess that makes sense.”

Despite her relief that her brother seemed to be okay with her answer, Qhita felt her stomach twist with guilt and quickly decided to change the subject. “Uh, hey - I’ve been hearin’ rumours of some Anoles terrorisin’ the other wildlife lately - why don’t we go an’ see for ourselves? You can sing for Menphina on the way there!”

Thankfully the mention of Menphina seemed to have lightened his spirits somewhat, ears perking up again as he nodded. “Mmkay. Just lemme pray to Menphi first.”

“Gotcha.” Qhita smiled and messed his hair before jumping down from the tree. As she prepared her bow, she could hear Vhano’a’s quiet voice.

“Loving moon, with your gentle light, hear your Keeper’s wish this night… Guide my aim true and keep my blood warm, ‘til I join you in slumber come the dawn.”

Qhita grimaced - the hunting prayer always sounded a bit bleak…

“And Menphi?”

It was only thanks to the girl’s keen hearing that she caught Vhano’a’s whisper.

“… You won’t stop loving me, will you?”

Qhita intently watched the puddles of moonlight on the forest floor shift… before glowing brighter.

“Thank you.”

_ Thank you, _ Qhita thought, looking up at the moon with a bittersweet smile.


End file.
